Vampire Nubbins
by Stargategeek
Summary: One bite on the hand causes a load of trouble for the gang at the Sanctuary. Two things that do not mix well: Vampires and Nubbins, especially when one of them is a certain Serbian genius. It's only going to get worse.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Nikola stood in the rusty old elevator, he was going somewhere; he didn't know where or why, he just had the sudden urge to be somewhere else.

Maybe he was bored.

He felt a little woozy, unfocused, has been since he entered the elevator. He looked at the fading bite mark in his hand.

Was it because of this?

Maybe this was why he was going somewhere else.

He looked back to about fifteen minutes ago. He was working with a Nubbin referred to as Damian for an experiment. With the arrival of new Abnormals, as well as the re-emergence of his stuck-up race, he wanted to be ready for anything.

He was creating a weapon, just in case any more vampires woke up with world domination in mind. Same idea as his De-Vamper, but this time he was calculating for one small failsafe. He didn't want it to be used against him like before. So, using Damian who was already injected with his own blood from previous experiments, he tested ways to make himself immune to the De-Vamp Gun…name in progress.

It was going fine until the nasty little creature decided to bite him on the hand. After that it was all a bit of a blur, until he found himself in the elevator, apparently going somewhere. Maybe to the infirmary to see Helen…it must be for the bite.

That's what it had to be.

The elevator stopped and the doors slid open and there she was. She was wearing a tight pencil skirt that showed off her beautiful legs from the knee down and a loose blouse that caressed her in all the right places, with a deep v-neck that lengthened her neck in a long line of delicious ivory skin. He licked his lips, momentarily thinking about sinking his fangs into one of her calves.

Her scent soon filled his nostrils, almost immediately; it was intoxicating.

She stepped forward into the cabin and smiled at him.

"Nikola, I was just coming to see you," she stood beside him, very close, too close.

He shifted uneasily, his head swarming in an endless fog.

"Uhh…were you?" he answered lamely.

"I was just heading down to check on your progress, and to see if I could pull you away from your work to help me with something," the doors closed and she turned to him, smiling kindly. "Where were you headed?" she asked, making small conversation. She smelt really, really good.

"Uhhh, to see you…" he mumbled, he really didn't feel well. He felt randy and sick at the same time. He shouldn't be around her, he decided, trying to subtly move away from her.

The elevator started to move again. Crap, he was trapped.

"Really? What for?" she asked, looking at him with bright blue eyes.

"N-nothing…is it hot in here, I think it's hot in here," he was feeling mighty woozy at this point.

"It is a tad warm, I'll have Henry check on the air conditioning," agreed Helen.

"Oh good, that's great…just great. Fantastic! Love it! Goody," Helen gave him a quizzical expression.

"Did you just say goody?" she asked, an raising an eyebrow.

"Did I? I don't know…I'm feeling a bit under the weather. Maybe I should lie down," his mind suddenly filled with images involving the woman before him in that particular turn of phrase and he shook his head. "No! Not lie down! I think I'll stand, or crouch! Crouching is good, I'll crouch in a completely non-sexy position, and I'm going to stay there until I feel better…yep, sounds good."

He lowered himself to a crouch on the elevator floor.

Helen watched him looking even more confused.

"Nikola, are you all right?" she asked cautiously.

"F-fine, why do you ask?" his voice came out way too high, it sounded like someone had grabbed him by the dingleberries, at least to him.

"Oh no reason, it's just that you're crouching on the floor and babbling about being non-sexy, do I have cause to be concerned?" she kneeled down in front of him and he immediately shot up to full height and moved away.

"I'm fine, just fine! I think I may be a bit claustrophobic though," he moved to the wall, pressing his back firmly against it.

"Nikola, you're not claustrophobic, you've been stuck in smaller spaces than this many times before and you've never acted this way," she laughed slightly at how weird he was being.

"Oh, I'm feeling mighty claustrophobic now," he felt his hands tremble slightly and he averted his gaze away from her.

"Nikola, you are acting very strange," Helen looked at him worriedly.

"Am I?" he gasped. Damn, why did he feel so hot, and feverish…and really, really randy. The song Hot-Blooded ran through his mind as he panted slightly from the heat, damn Tiny Tim and his freaking iPod.

Helen stepped closer to him out of concern.

"Nikola, are you sure you're feeling alright?"

"Hot-blooded, check it and see, I've got a fever of a hundred and three," he sang the lyrics in his head, trying desperately not to pay any attention to how close she was getting to him.

Suddenly he felt her cool hands on his face.

"My god, Nikola, you're burning up," she rested the back of her hand on his forehead.

Oh not good.

He caught a whiff of her vanilla-lilac scented perfume and dove in, capturing her mouth with his in a fierce, desperate kiss.

She squeaked in surprise but didn't pull away, in fact, she pushed closer, biting on his lower lip to make him growl instinctually.

Suddenly, she was the one with her back against the wall, her skirt pushed up to her hips with clawed hands. She lifted one leg into his expert fingers, moving up his own to sensually circle around his hip and hook around his thigh, right below his buttocks.

She pushed him closer to her, allowing his hands to wrap around her waist as he sucked on her neck.

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open on to the residential corridor.

Helen grabbed a hold of his cravat and pulled him out of the carriage and roughly against the wall, breaking a vase in the process, They didn't stay there long because he soon slammed her into the adjacent wall, dislodging a painting from it's hook. With this leverage he managed to hoist her off the ground.

Their lips stayed connected the entire time, until he built up enough force to ram the two of them through her bedroom door, not even bothering with the handle.

She landed on the floor with a hard thud, him on top of her, still touching and kissing with a renewed fervor. His long leg reached behind him, and with the heel slammed the door shut.

One last thought buzzed through his brain. He was going to probably get killed for this later, somehow he'd be blamed for this mess, but at the moment, he had Helen, he had himself, and both had very few inhibitions.

At least he'd die happy.

**~~~~Author's Notes~~~~**

I'm taking on the nubbins! Woohoo! It's a bit of a crackfic! But already so much fun and it's only the beginning. :P I hope you like it...it's just going to go downhill and a little sideways from here.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Will rushed into Magnus's office to join the others.

"Ok, how'd they get free this time?" he growled.

"Not sure, it hadn't been long from what I can tell," said Henry.

"We really need to spend the few thousand it takes to invest in a separate cooling system for this guys," Will was cross and rightly so. The Nubbins were loose, again, the air conditioning was down, and to top it off there was no sign of Magnus or Tesla anywhere.

"Kate and Big Guy are headed to our supply closet full of fire extinguishers, and I'll get on the AC as soon as I find out how the buggers did it this time," said Henry.

"Any leads?" asked Will.

"I'm looking at the security camera footage now, seeing if there has been any activity around the Nubbin enclosure. I'm pretty sure the AC was cut off by one of them instead of being the cause, somehow one of them got out and freed the other," Henry turned to Will and let out a long sigh.

"Do you know where Magnus is?" asked Will; he really didn't need this today.

"No, I haven't seen her since around noon time," shrugged Henry.

"This is unbelievable," groaned Will.

The door to the office flew open and Kate and Big Guy walked in, arms full of red fire extinguishers.

"Three words Hank: SEPARATE. COOLING. SYSTEM!" cried Kate, dropping the extinguishers on the sofa.

"Agreed," grunted Biggie.

"I know, I'll talk to the Doc about it,' whined Henry.

"By the way, have either of you two seen her?" asked Will.

Kate shook her head.

"Not since this morning, I assumed she was in her office," shrugged Kate. "Obviously, I was wrong."

"I saw her about an hour ago, but I have no idea where she is now," said Biggie.

"It's odd because we can't find Dracula anywhere either," added Kate. "It's like the two of them just disappeared."

"Oh hey! Guys! I think I found the source of our Nubbin problem. Seems like Tesla used one of them for his experiments," Henry turned the screen to show them the footage.

"That doesn't explain how it got loose," sighed Kate.

"Henry, can you bring up the footage of Tesla's lab around that time?" asked Will.

"Sure thing," he typed on the keyboard and the image changed.

"Okay, there is the Nubbin. Fast forward a bit," instructed Will.

The footage sped up.

"There," Will pointed at the screen and Henry tapped on the keyboard to return it to normal speed.

Nikola was holding the Nubbin precariously and it suddenly dug its small sharp teeth into his right hand.

Kate snickered at the face he had made as he realized the darn creature had bitten him. He shoved the Nubbin into its cage, and it looked like he was trying to scold him. Waggling his finger at it. Then he stumbled slightly, like he had just suddenly become disoriented, dropped what he was doing and walked out of the lab, not even bothering with the latch on the Nubbin's cage.

"That's weird," muttered Will. "It's not like Tesla to just forget something like that."

Big Guy grunted in agreement.

"Can you switch to the camera outside that hall, see where he went," Will turned to Henry and he nodded.

"Uh, sure, give me a sec," Henry turned back to the keyboard and Kate looked at Will, trying to read his expression.

"What are you thinking, Will? Do you think Tesla has gone loco?" she asked.

"He got bit on the hand by a Nubbin and then he just walks out, it can 't be a coincidence. Maybe he contracted something," shrugged Will.

"Like a parapex?" asked Kate.

"Well, we've all been bitten by Nubbins before, I mean, they're nasy bites, but they don't really affect us, but maybe…"

"What about the source blood? Could Nubbin bites have an adverse reaction to ancient vampire blood?" asked Kate.

"Oh crap," muttered Henry.

They three of them turned to him.

"What is it Henry?" asked Will.

"Uh, back when Ashley was a super Cabal experiment and the Doc ordered Tesla to make a weapon to disable her, Tesla injected his own blood into one of the Nubbins, we nicknamed him Damian. Since then, any time he's needed a test subject he just uses Damian, I'd bet anything that the one that bit him," said Henry.

"What's that supposed to mean, Hank?" asked Kate.

"I don't know, but I have a theory. Uh, one sec," he resumed typing away at the computer. Bringing up the footage outside the hallway. "Ok, this is him in the corridor. He gets into the elevator, rides it up several floors…"

The footage shifts to the interior elevator cam.

"About three floors up the Doc enters," added Will as they watched the footage. "This is right before the Nubbin outbreak."

"Wow, he looks like he's going to faint," noted Kate.

The four of them continued to watch the footage, all of their eyebrows rising as he suddenly moved to a crouching position.

"What the hell is he doing?" muttered Will.

"Being king of the dorks?" offered Kate.

"Guh! Something is affecting him," said Big Guy.

He suddenly spring from a crouch to a standing position and moved away from Helen to the opposite side of the elevator.

Kate laughed.

"Talk about a complete psych out," she chuckled.

"What is Magnus doing?" Will mumbled.

She stepped up to him, her hands on her face.

"I don't know, looks like she's trying to help him," shrugged Henry.

Suddenly the two of them started to make out and both Will and Henry's eyes bulged, Henry turning a little pink in the cheeks.

Kate clasped a hand over her mouth to muffle her laughter and Big Guy grunted in confusion.

"No way," gasped Will.

"The Doc and Tesla got it on!" Kate laughed.

"Oh gosh," Henry averted his gaze.

"This is definitely Nubbins," muttered Will.

"The Nubbins weren't out of their enclosure yet, this has to be from that bite!" said Biggie.

"The elevator doors opened and they got off," continued Henry, visibly uncomfortable watching this.

"Where'd they get off?" asked Will, not all too comfortable with it either.

Kate giggled more.

"Uhh…the residential level…" muttered Henry.

Will groaned and Kate erupted into a full out howl of laughter.

"No wonder we can't find them!" she laughed. This made Will groan even more.

"We have to find them," growled Big Guy, un-amused.

"What? Whoa dude! Do you think that's really a good idea? I mean, from the looks of things they're going to be going at it pretty hot and heavy…" Henry wanted to wash out his brain with amnesiac soap.

"If we're right, and he is being affected by something that was transferred from the Nubbin to his bloodstream, if he bites Magnus she could be infected as well," said Big Guy. "We need to stop this before it gets out of hand."

Henry whined,

"So what? Stunners or fire extinguishers?" asked Kate, she was the only one getting a kick out of this. Will and Henry were acting as if they had just seen their parents having sex, and Big Guy was looking out for the welfare of the whole Sanctuary.

"I'll get the stunners," winced Henry, leaving quickly.

"Kate, you help him, we'll meet you in the residential area," Big Guy grabbed Will roughly by the collar and dragged him to the elevator.

"What are we going to do?" asked Will.

"We're going to follow their trail," said Biggie.

Will groaned and covered his face with his hands.

"Why can't I go and get the stunners!" he whined.

Big Guy just slapped him on the head and snicker as the doors slid closed.

Kate and Henry made their way up to the residential corridor as fast as they could, arms full with stunners.

Upon arriving m they noticed the trail from the elevator down the hallway. Broken vases, crooked painting, flipped carpet, and the most obvious, the splinters off an old oak door.

Will and Biggie stood outside the door. Will looked one step away from shooting himself.

"Hey! You found them?" asked Kate. The question immediately became mute as a familiar cry resounded from the other side of the door.

"Oh geez," Kate moved away from the door.

"Yep, we found them…they won't be stopping any time soon," muttered Will.

Henry froze in place.

"I don't want to go in there," he whimpered.

"It's okay Hank, just close your eyes and fire, it will all be over soon," teased Kate. "That reminds me, I brought ear plugs."

Without a word Henry and Will madly grabbed for the orange pieces of foam in Kate's palm and shoved it in their ears.

"Hand signals it is," sighed Kate. She offered them to Biggie, but he shook his head, he didn't care. What was sex to him?

Kate shook her head as well. It wasn't going to last very long once they got in and started shooting at the lovebirds.

As soon as they were all ready, stunners in hand, Biggie signaled the attack plan and they all nodded in agreement.

The three of them clambered behind Big Guy who, with one rough kick, broke the door open. Barging his way inside.

The three of them followed.

The sight before hem was a bit mind boggling. Kate had never been so happy to see such conveniently placed sheets in her life. Will and Henry simultaneously shut their eyes and looked away. It was like a scene from Platoon.

Kate quickly lifted up her stunner and hit Nikola in the side. He didn't go down, but he stopped his motions atop Helen, blinking in confusion.

His eyes trailed to them, then back to Helen who was lying securely beneath him.

"Helen?" he gasped out, not completely understanding what was going on.

Another hit with the stunner and Nikola fell unconscious, rolling of the bed into a heap on the floor.

Big Guy smacked Will and Henry to get them to stop shooting up the place like 1940's movie gangsters.

They cautiously opened their eyes.

Helen blinked, equally as confused as the rest of them. She pulled the sheet over herself to cover her dignity and looked at lump of flesh (which was Nikola) on the floor, then at the four of them.

"Will…Henry…Kate…What the hell is going on?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 **

Nikola was restrained into the isolation room, fully dressed in white scrubs as to not make anyone more uncomfortable than they already were.

Big Guy stayed and monitored him, being the only one in the room at the time that had the guts to go over and pick him up. This left everyone else with the arduous task of explaining the whole situation to an equally boggled Helen.

"What?" she cried, looking at her staff with wide-eyed disbelief.

"Like apes," nodded Kate.

"Yah, and very vocal ones at that," added Henry.

"You can not be serious," she groaned.

She had covered herself with a robe as Kate decently found her some better clothes.

"Afraid so, Doc, and we'll all have the nightmares to prove it," sighed Henry.

"Oh my…I don't remember a thing," she ran a hand through her mussed hair.

"We suspect he won't either. It was like Nubbin Mind Murk on steroids," Kate came over and handed her a pile of neatly folded clothes.

"Thank you," Helen mumbled, feeling unbelievably awkward.

"What is the last thing you remember?" asked Will.

"Uh…I was in the elevator…with Nikola…he was acting very strange, I went over to help him and…"

"Cue the Nubbin mind murk music," sighed Kate.

Helen hid her face for a second to hide her blush; she was so embarrassed in front of her colleagues.

"How is it even possible?" she asked, looking at the three of them.

"Well, he got bit by a Nubbin, one we believe he injected his own blood into. We traced his movements from the lab to the elevator…which reminds me, we still have a Nubbin outbreak to deal with," said Will.

"Then I suggest you get to it. Big Guy is with him now?" asked Helen.

The three of them nodded.

"He's taking blood samples, see if it was temporary or of we're going to have to freeze him," joked Kate.

Helen wasn't amused at the moment.

"Sorry, boss," she ducked out of the room.

Helen put a hand to her head.

"Hey, Magnus," said Will, patting her shoulder. "We all have days like this."

Helen let out a dry laugh.

"Oh yes, I'm sure everyday you get jumped by a vampire whose been trying to sleep with you since the latter half of last century," she groaned.

"No, but, if we're right, both of you weren't exactly in control of your faculties," said Will and Helen sighed.

"Go, help the others with the Nubbins, I'll go assist Big Guy, I want to get a handle on this situation," Helen stood up, taking the pile of clothes and headed to the bathroom.

It was as formal of a dismissal as Will was going to get.

Helen shut and locked the bathroom door behind her. She took a deep sigh and looked at herself in the mirror. She looked like a big, roughed up, fully sexed mess. There were red marks, she could only assume were bite marks, along her neck, forearm, breasts, and lords knows elsewhere. No puncture wounds; obviously he hadn't gotten around to drawing blood. Her hips ached with every step, her lips were slightly swollen, her hair was a disaster, and her back was unbelievably sore.

She was going to kill him. If not for embarrassing her in front of her team then for leaving a freaking hickey on her neck as evidence; just days before a major UN conference call she might add.

She was going to castrate both him and the Nubbin who bit him for this.

She'd never felt so embarrassed in all her life.

She turned on the shower and stepped under the water, not even bothering waiting for it to heat up. She wanted to be clean of this incident; that's all she could think about.

She took the scrubby and lathered it with soap, running it across every inch of her raw, sore skin.

Helen was beyond angry at Nikola, and his freaking Nubbin. When she gets her hands on those two she was going make them wish they were virgins. First she was going to kill them, then she was going to remove every single little fang one by one, and then she was going to beat their bloody faces in and use their heads for target practice.

How could she let Nikola jump her like that…and why couldn't she remember any of it?

She paused her thoughts.

Damn him. He's even managed to turn her mind against her.

All she could remember was the last moment of it all, that last sensation of being completely filled then suddenly being completely empty again.

She had the before and the after, but no middle, and it gnawed at her more than she was willing to admit.

She growled to herself.

Bloody Nubbins!

After a long shower and an even longer time using almost all her cover up to hide the love marks all over her skin. She dressed and made her way down to the isolation lab to check on Nikola.

She wanted to make sure he was perfectly healthy…before she killed him.

Nikola was still unconscious when she entered the observation lab.

"Guh, feeling better?" Big Guy teased, hearing her come in.

"Please, I'm going to get enough of it from him when he wakes, just spare me the jokes," she glared at him.

Like she wasn't already embarrassed enough.

Biggie laughed lightly.

"I don't think he'll remember, he was kind of under the influence," said Big Guy.

"The others told me, something about a Nubbin he injected his own blood into that bit him…which doesn't make any sense, because we've all been bitten by them at one point or another and none of us had a reaction such as this," sighed Helen.

"Well, there was that one time last summer with Kate and Henry in the kitchen…"

"Yes, but still, they didn't get that far," sighed Helen.

"Only because we stopped them," snickered Big Guy.

"And you think that's the reason Nikola and I…"

Biggie shrugged.

"Who knows? I'm running blood samples, which reminds me," he pulled out a fresh, unused needle from a med kit lying on the table behind him. "If it is source blood related we want to make sure you're not infected…or worse."

Helen nodded.

"Any results yet?" she asked.

He shook his head.

"Not yet," he rolled up her sleeve and injected the needle into her arm gently.

Helen sighed.

"He would do something like this to me," she growled, walking up to the glass observation window to glare at his sleeping form.

"Nah…I don't think he planned it," said Big Guy.

"He's certainly capable of it," Helen turned to her old friend.

"Well, yes, but not this time. The first shot we hit him with snapped him right out of it. He looked just lost as you did," said Big Guy.

"Nikola does have a flare for acting," Helen pointed out.

"Yah, but I can sense the difference," Biggie packed up his kit. "I'll leave you with lover-boy here while I finish running these tests. I trust I won't have to shoot either of you again."

Helen scoffed, ready to protest the very notion, but he left before she had a chance to say anything.

"Cheeky monkey," she muttered, growling in frustration. She turned back to Nikola. "Look at the mess you made."

_**~~~~Few Hours Later~~~~**_

Will marched into the observation lab where Helen was residing, keeping an eye on her pesky vampire.

"Alright, we have a head count of 32 Nubbins flash frozen and contained. They really got at it this time. They chewed through wires all through the place; our communication system is absolutely mulch right now. Henry has to rewire almost all our key computer systems; Kate's helping. Meanwhile, Biggie has had to use one of our off-base research labs to run your guys' blood samples; he'll call once he gets confirmation. Now, can we please discuss investing in a secondary back-up system for the Nubbin habitat, because we cannot afford the amount of fire extinguishers we have to purchase ever time we have a break out."

Helen blinked her eyes.

"Pardon?" she looked up at him. She hadn't heard a word he'd said.

"How are you feeling?" he dropped his complaining employer act and went over to her carefully.

"Hmm? Oh, uh, fine, just a little drowsy, I assume an after effect of whatever you want to call Nikola and my's encounter," she sighed, scrubbing a hand over her face.

"We call it the 'Unmentionable'," Will chuckled slightly.

"I'm sorry for whatever trauma we have out you through," Helen teased.

"It was kind of like waling in on your parents…" he winced slightly.

"I wouldn't know about that, my father only loved one woman in his lifetime and she died before I was old enough to walk…I did walk in on James once," she shrugged.

"Please…stop there," Will raised his hand in a 'stop' motion.

Helen laughed and turned back to Nikola.

"He's been out for awhile," she gestured to the sleeping vampire.

"I'm not surprised, he took two hits with the stunners," shrugged Will.

"Yah, but Nikola has always had a high resistance to stuns, tazers, and anesthetics. His physiology burns up certain elements almost instantly, especial naturals like proteins, sugars and carbohydrates, it's why vampires can't live on food alone; blood is the only thing that takes its time to process. And his electrical powers haves always made it hard to stun him for any serious amount of time… I resorted to shooting him myself."

"We also gave him a full battery of horse tranquilizers," added Will.

"Ah, yes, those might work, though they would only keep him asleep for so long. I think I should go in there, just to make sure he's still alive," she stood up on her feet.

"Wait, Magnus! Do you think that's wise? What if he tries to…you know…"

"He's restrained, I doubt he'll be successful," she stood up from her chair.

"What if you…"

"That's why I have you for back up," she grinned.

"I'll have the horse tranquilizers on stand by," Will smirked.

"Exactly."

"Good thing we keep them on hand every time Tesla comes around," he teased.

Helen laughed.

"It's probably a good habit to get into," she chuckled, heading to the door to the isolation room.

"I bet," sighed Will.

Helen opened the door to the room and quietly walked in. She walked over to him and checked his pulse. It was still there, unfortunately for him.

Helen pulled out her gun.

"Magnus, what are you doing?" said William over the intercom.

"Waking him up," she shrugged nonchalantly.

"With a gun?" he raised his eyebrows at her.

"Oh trust me, I have earned the right to shoot him this time," she cocked the weapon.

"Well, be careful," groaned Will.

"I won't shoot anything vital," she sighed, pointing the gun at his thigh, a little close to his specials, enough to send a clear message.

She pulled the trigger and Nikola's eyes shot open as the bullet lodged itself into his upper thigh.

"Argh!" he cried. "Blood Mary! What in hell's name…"

His eyes fell on Helen and the smoking weapon in her hand; then trailed down to his own restrained body, held down to an angled gurney.

"Ah, hell, what's I do this time?" he whimpered.

Helen stepped over to him, her jaw set and her eyes ablaze.

"How do you feel, Nikola?" she asked sharply, her tone less than concerned.

"Just fine, oh Doctor of Satan," he winced. "C-could you just take the bullet out, please?"

Helen forced a particularly sinister smile.

"With pleasure."

With a growl she shoved her manicured nails into the wound, making him howl in pain. She ripped the bullet out and threw it away; it landed on the floor with a small clink.

"Helen, we talked about this, you are not allowed to torture me until you tell me what I've done to deserve it," he whimpered again, the wound in his leg healing quickly.

"Oh I think you know the reason," she put her hands on her hips, glaring fiercely.

"Helen, woman have been saying that for centuries and men have remained clueless," he rolled his eyes.

"You seriously don't know what it is this time?" she growled. "You bloody idiot!"

"Helen, inside voice," he scolded earning himself a slap across the cheek.

"Do I look like I'm kidding Nikola?" her face burned hotly. "You embarrassed me in front of my team, you destroyed my Sanctuary, again! And you ruined a perfectly nice duvet!"

"Don't forget about the oak door," added Will over the intercom.

"And that!" cried Helen, hitting Nikola again. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Uh," he looked at her dumbfoundedly. "I'm…s-sorry."

Helen growled and brought her hand back to slap him again but she faltered when she saw the genuine confusion in his eyes and relented.

"What is the last thing you remember?" she asked, a little more softly than before.

"Uhh, I was in my lab, working on a prototype, then my furry little friend bit me, an then…I left. I went to the elevator. I remember feeling really, really strange...and you were there, and I…" his eyes suddenly widened. "You were…and I was…Did we have?"

"Yes," Helen sighed and he grinned widely.

"Really?" he looked at her mischievously.

"Yes," Helen rolled her eyes, preparing herself for whatever was to come from the obnoxious man.

"Drat, the one time I black out. So, how was I? Did I rock your world?" he mocked her and she growled, fingering the gun in her hand, seriously considering shooting him again.

"Your guess is as good as mine, I was just as much out of it as you were," she sighed.

"Shame, maybe we'll have to get together sometime and do some memory recall," he grinned widely.

"Please don't," pleaded Will from the intercom, earning a frown from Nikola.

"Agreed, you've traumatized my staff enough for one day," she sighed. "What do you think happened?" she looked at Nikola, trying to keep him on track.

"Maybe you were drawn to my animal magnetism," he wiggled his eyebrows.

"Doubt it, I've been ignoring your 'animal magnetism' for over a century, believe me its not that powerful," she teased.

He frowned at her.

"Well then, I don't know, it's not like I just decided to black out and have sex. Besides, you know I think of the seduction as half the fun," he grinned cheekily.

Helen rolled her eyes again.

"Will you be serious for one bloody moment?" she glared at him.

He let out a long sigh.

"Fine," he sighed. "It must be something to do with the bite I received, I was perfectly fine up till then."

"That's what our thoughts were, but Nubbin bites aren't usually so…effective," said Helen.

"True, it's not the first time I've been bitten, but it is the first time I've ever had such a good time," Nikola grinned. "It has to be in our memories somewhere."

"It better stay there," Helen threatened.

"Aww, Helen," Nikola whined.

"Now focus Nikola," Helen began to pace.

"Fine, but can you please remove the restraints, I think it's clear that it's out of my system," he gestured to the titanium straps around his wrists.

"Please, something like this always remains in your system, I'm going to wait until we get the tests back," she stopped and crossed her arms.

"Oh, Helen, come on, don't tell me you're n0t the least bit curious," he leered at her.

"Yes, as to why it happened, not how," she sighed, unamused.

"I don't believe you for second," Nikola chuckled.

"Because you're deluded," she remarked bitterly.

"Ouch Helen, words hurt," he made a hurt face but Helen just rolled her eyes.

"You have a thick skin," she teased.

"Yes but it's soft in some areas," he gestured to right over his heart with his head and Helen poked him there. He winced.

"Ow!" he whined.

"I am one step away from shooting you in your 'soft spot', help me with this Nikola, for once!" she cried.

"Alright, joking aside," he sighed. "Is there anything, maybe environmental or circumstantial that could've heightened the effect?"

"We think it might be source blood related, were you using the Nubbin named Damian?" asked Helen.

"Uh, yes, I believe," his eyes widened. "You don't think?"

Helen nodded.

"I do, as you said, it's too much of a coincidence," she sighed.

"That means…"

"I could be infected as well," Helen sighed.

"Oh my…I don't blame you for shooting me earlier anymore," he muttered.

Helen nodded again.

"I thought you might," she mumbled.

"Well, what do we do about it?" he asked, changing from his flirty demeanor to surprisingly caring.

"We wait…for the tests to confirm, and from there we decide what precautions we need to take to see that it never happens again," she sighed.

"Was it really that bad?" he asked, searching for her eyes.

"It's not that, I just don't want it happening again and someone getting pregnant, now do we?" she let out a huff of breath.

"No, I guess not," he smirked.

"Besides, I don't want you getting any ideas," she teased.

Helen wavered slightly, lifting a hand up to her head.

"Whoa, are you okay?" Nikola jerked against the restraints out of instinct.

"Yah, just a little light-headed it seems," she blinked but eventually found her equilibrium.

Helen turned back to him.

"Are you sure?" he looked at her with concern, Helen was mildly touched.

"Yes, I'm fine, probably just dehydrated," she sighed. "I'll be back once we learn anything new."

Nikola wasn't quite convinced, she saw it in his eyes, but he nodded, not pressing the issue.

"I promise it's nothing," she smiled softly at him.

"Alright, just, don't strain yourself," he shrugged.

"I will, as long as you stop getting bitten by Nubbins," she teased and he laughed.

"Right, I will De-Vamp Damian as soon as I have the time," he teased back and Helen headed for the door.

"I'll be back soon," she said.

"I'll be here," he sighed.

Helen smirked and left rejoining Will in the observation lab.

"Magnus, he's right, are you sure you're ok?" he came up to her.

"Positive, I just need some water or something," she shook her head dismissively.

"Ok, you sit down, I'll get it for you," Will led her over to a stool.

"Will, I assure you it's unnecessary," she sighed.

"Better to be safe than sorry, I don't want you passing out, or worse, going all Nubbin mind murk on all of us…Nikola did the same thing right before he left for the elevator and attacked you," Will looked at her sternly.

Helen bit her lip.

"Alright," she sighed, turned her head to look at Nikola through the observation window. "Contact Big Guy, see if there are any updates."

Will nodded.

"I'll be right back," he patted her arm before turning on his heel and leaving the lab.

Helen didn't watch him leave, but kept her eyes fixed on Nikola.

She didn't like this, not one bit.

**~~~~Author's Notes~~~~**

*gasp* what's wrong with Helen? You'll just have to wait and find out Muahaha!

BTW, those readers who are also reading The Vamp and The Botanist, i'm sorry, i'm having severe writer's block, i have no idea where its going to go, but i'm still working on it, i just ask for your loving patience and i promise it will be good :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Helen sat in her office, looking at the phone, considering picking up the receiver and calling Big Guy, again.

She wanted to know if she was infected, she was tough enough to put on a brave face for Nikola and Will, but she couldn't do it to herself. What Will said disturbed her, but if she was going to lose it like a Las Vegas high-baller, wouldn't she have done it already?

She groaned.

If she called Big Guy again, she was sure she was going to get grunted at, but she wanted to know, if only to stem her nerves.

She would never be able to live it down if she came on to one of her colleagues. Nikola was one thing, but a member of her team, or even worse, one of the residents, she would be mortified.

"Ok! I officially hate Nubbins, Tribbles, and anything that breeds at the speed of light!" groaned Kate, slumping into the office and plopping onto one of the couches. "Head count: 83, it's the last of them, half of them new and unregistered due to our new chip in the butt system."

Helen smiled softly at the young women.

"Could've been worse?" Helen shrugged.

"Seriously? This coming from Bonnie and Clyde?" Kate glared at her. "How is Clyde by the way?"

"No worse for ware I'm afraid, and smug as a peacock," Helen sighed.

"That's no surprise, but is he all there, or still, you know, murkified?" asked Kate.

"For the moment he seems perfectly sane, he doesn't remember a thing, which is good, but lord knows if there is video evidence he will want a copy," Helen joked.

"Right, I'll tell Hank to burn all the evidence before lover boy can get his hands on it," smirked Kate.

"At least have him mislabel it," said Helen.

"Gotcha," Kate stood up from the couch. "How are you feeling, Doc? Will told me about your little dizzy spell? Have you been feeling a little…how should I put this…"

"Murkified?" Helen finished for her.

"Yah," Kate laughed slightly.

"No, not even a little bit, I feel completely fine, I just had that one moment of light-headedness," shrugged Helen.

"So the boys are safe?" asked Kate.

Helen nodded.

"Oh good," Kate moved over to the office door suddenly and pried it open. "You can come in she's not going to jump your bones."

Will and Henry sheepishly entered into the office.

"Hey Doc," waved Henry.

Helen chuckled at her team.

"I'm not contagious," she sighed.

"Well, we weren't sure, Will told us about your dizzy spell…out of concern, and well, Tesla had a dizzy spell just before he went all Hugh Hefner on you," said Henry cautiously.

"Well, don't worry, I'm not in the mood for anything like that," she said assuredly.

"That's good," nodded Will.

"Could that mean Tesla dizzy spell is unrelated to his…memory loss," asked Kate.

"It's possible, but highly unlikely, I think my spell, though very close in timing, is circumstantial. It was simple dehydration," said Helen.

"Doc, how can we be sure?" asked Henry.

"We can't really, not until Big Guy calls in with the test results," she sighed and looked back at the phone.

"Maybe we should migrate this down to the lab, keep Tesla in the loop, at least so we can keep an eye on him," suggested Will.

"Agreed, bring your phones," said Helen.

All three of them nodded.

Helen stood up, straightening her appearance before walking around the desk and joining her team.

"Also, bring some stunners, just in case," she added.

Henry nodded and left, appointing stunner duty to himself.

Will and Kate followed behind Helen as she moved to the elevator to take it down to the infirmary level where Nikola was.

The trip was silent as Helen's mind kept racing with the possibilities, possibilities that can only be answered with the results of those tests. She was becoming downright antsy.

The doors couldn't open fast enough.

Helen knew she was tapping her foot incessantly, and she also knew that Will was watching her. He didn't say anything, Kate didn't say anything, and Helen grew all the more jittery.

After what felt like an eternity the doors finally opened and Helen immediately marched outside the elevator carriage and to the observation lab.

As soon as she entered the lab she heard Nikola groan and she snapped into attention.

"Nikola!" she cried.

"Holy crap!" muttered Kate.

Helen ran to the isolation room and burst the door open.

His eyes were squeezed shut in pain, his hands clenched into first. The chords in his neck bulged as he tried his hardest to restrain whatever cry he wanted to utter.

"Nikola, what's wrong?" she went up to him, her hands coming up to his forehead, he was burning up again.

She instantly retracted them, remembering the last time he had a high fever, not wishing to repeat the process.

"Uggh!" he grunted. "It started a few minutes after you left…it's like a migraine being beaten by a rhino!"

"How else do you feel?" she asked.

"If you're asking if I feel like doing a horizontal tango, no, I don't, I can't barely think without seeing stars," he whimpered.

"Will, get some Tylenol," she ordered.

"Oh no, I'm going to need something much stronger than that, a powerful painkiller, how about another one of those horse tranquilizers?" Nikola winced,

Helen sighed.

"A painkiller will work just fine," clarified Helen.

"Ohhh, mother of a goose!" he whimpered, trying very hard not to cry, or to swear.

Helen looked over at the side of his head and saw an abnormal lump growing unnaturally fast, like it was swelling.

She reached a hand over and just grazed it; he yelped suddenly.

"AHG! What the hell?" he flinched away from her touch.

"I was just examining something," she defended,

"Well, don't ever do that again," he winced, glaring at her.

"I'm sorry," Helen kept her eyes fixed on the lump. They trailed slightly to the other side of his head where an identical lump was forming in almost the exact same spot was. "My god," she muttered.

"What is it?" he looked at her through squinted eyes.

"Magnus? Are you seeing what we're seeing?" asked Will over the intercom.

"I don't believe it," muttered Helen.

"Will someone please tell the afflicted one what he is afflicted with since it is so obvious to you all," Nikola growled.

Helen opened her mouth to speak, but had no words to explain what she was seeing.

Suddenly the lumps broke in what looked like an explosion of fur. The edges rolled up simultaneously and stuck straight in the air.

Helen gasped at the sight.

Nikola let out one last grunt and then sighed in relief.

"I think you can hold on the painkillers," he said, a little confused. "It's like it just went away."

Helen nodded.

"And I think I know why," she said, stepping close to examine the new development.

"What is it?" he asked, his eyes moving up to try to see what she was looking at.

"My word," she muttered, reaching a hand up to gently stroke the light brown fur atop his head. He moaned slightly as she did so.

"Oh that's…that's an odd sensation to feel on the top of your head," he muttered and Helen retracted her hand again, not wanting to torture him.

"You're not going to believe this," she looked at him, a slight surprised, yet amused, smile gracing her lips.

"Believe what?" he asked and Helen stepped away so he could look at his reflection. His eyes widened in shock.

"Holy mother of…" he gasped, his eyes turning to Helen, then back to his reflection. "I have ears…" he muttered.

"And not just any ears," she added, reaching a hand to gently grasp one. "Nubbin ears."

Kate held a hand over her mouth, taking her phone out and snapping a quick picture before the moment was ruined. Tesla looked too adorable to pass it up.

Will stared incredulously.

"Wow, and here I'm thinking I've seen everything," he brought a hand up to his head; his mind was boggled.

"I've got the stunners, how's Tesl- whoa!" jumped Henry, who had just arrived. "What the hell is that on top of his head?"

Kate laughed again.

"Seems old vamp boy has grown himself a pair of Nubbin hearing aids," she snapped another pic on her phone.

"This day just keeps on getting weirder," Henry stood there, his expression somewhere between 'Holy Hell!' and WTF.

Will's phone suddenly rang and he pulled it out of his pocket.

"Yah," he said, keeping his eyes fixed and the two fluffy triangles on Nikola's head.

"I think I had a dream about this once," muttered Kate in the background.

"Will, is Magnus there?" came Biggie's voice over the line.

"Uhh, she's a little busy at the moment, what is it?" asked Will.

"Tesla's blood tests came in, there is something very screwy happening to him," said Big Guy.

"Really? He wouldn't happen to be turning into a Nubbin would he?" asked Will.

"Yah, sort of, how did you know?" said Big Guy.

"Oh, let's just say there's been some interesting developments, two of them actually," sighed Will.

"Is it serious?" asked Big Guy.

"Uh…I really don't know…finish up with Magnus' sample, keep us updated," he hung up and turned to his two colleagues.

"This is only going to get weirder," he said to them.

He had a feeling today was going to be a long day.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Nikola stared incredulously at the brown furry things atop his head.

"How the hell did this happen?" he looked at Helen, his eyes wide and confused.

"I do not know, if I knew I would tell you," she sighed.

"What does it mean?" he cried, a little more than terrified.

"Again, my knowledge has not increased in the last five seconds," she groaned.

"Look, Helen! I have four ears! And two of them I was not born with!" he cried at her.

"I'm not blind either!" she cried back.

"But you are being very unhelpful!" he muttered.

Helen walked up to him and stroked one of his ears again, his eyes closed, not with pain but with pleasure, and he ceased talking.

Helen smirked.

She could get used to that.

She turned to the two-way mirror and addressed her team.

"Any news from Big Guy?" she asked them.

"Yah, he just called, confirming our hypothesis…sorry Tesla, you're turning Nubbin," said Henry.

"Gyah…" was all he managed to groan, his fists clenched. Helen smirked wider and released his ear.

He sucked in a breath and glared at her.

"I hate you," he growled.

Helen smiled triumphantly.

"Any news about me?" asked Helen.

"Not yet, he said he'll call back with any results as soon as he gets them," said Kate.

"Well, fan-flipping-tastic! Now we both could be turning all brown and furry. When your ears grow in I hop someone pins you up by them," Nikola sneered at her and Helen patted his cheek condescendingly.

"I'd like to see you try," she mocked him.

He stuck out his tongue and pouted.

"Doc, I do have most of our systems up and running, enough to have Biggie send us the data," added Henry.

"Do it," Helen nodded.

"If you and Tesla are going to start Nubbing out we should lower the temperature in the isolation room, at least to slow the process," said Will.

"Agreed, Nikola I'm also going to need a sample," she turned to him.

"Of what?" he looked at her cautiously.

She pulled out a pair of nail clippers.

"Hold still," she said.

She took one of his ears gently in her hand and clipped off the tip. Nikola howled.

"Agh!" he flinched away from her.

"Sorry for that," she shrugged.

"Oh, bite me, Devil's Nurse, you enjoyed it," he spat.

Helen smirked.

"You know what? I did," she teased, taking the sample with a laugh and leaving the isolation room. At the door she stopped and turned around. "I'll have Kate come in and release you from your restraints, but I'm locking you in."

He frowned at her then it twisted into a grin.

"I can't wait until you're locked in here with me," he teased.

"Oh I think I'll be requesting my own separate quarters," she laughed and he frowned again.

"I hope your ears come in lopsided," he growled and Helen left, laughing in her own triumph; she won this round.

Helen stepped up to her team.

"Henry, I want you to get my lab running so I can run some tests of my own," ordered Helen.

"Gotcha," he nodded and left.

Kate sighed.

"I'll go release the Vamp," she groaned and lumbered to the isolation room.

Helen turned to Will.

"I know," she sighed.

"What that you could be sprouting ears and a set of sharp teeth, oh, and don't forget the fact that your going to go crazy for some Nubbin action, and affect us in the process, there is a reason we are locking Tesla up and I'm thinking it's not a bad idea for you either," said Will.

"I know, and we will, when the tests are confirmed, but until then I can be of some use, if we're wrong and I am fine then we'll have less time to reverse the process for Nikola," Helen defended.

"Well, this is not the first time we've dealt with metamorphosis, could it be a similar way like we did with me?" asked Will.

"It's a start, that will be the first test once Henry gets the system up and running," said Helen.

Will nodded.

"And what if it starts affecting you before then?" he said with concern.

"Then lock me up with Nikola and turn up the AC," she shrugged. "That's what I need you for, I need you to have either a stunner or a fire extinguisher on hand in case I turn unexpectedly."

Will let out a long sigh but agreed.

"Alright," he turned and left.

Helen sat down, the dizzy feeling returning, it felt slightly like a punch to the gut. She groaned and put a hand to her head. What was happening to her?

Kate stepped out of the isolation room and flicked the switch that turned the two way mirror into a one way window so that Nikola could look in on everyone.

She noticed Helen and walked over.

"Hey Doc, is everything ok?" she asked.

Helen blinked.

"Oh, yes, just thinking," Helen sighed and stood up.

"Oh, well, do you need anything? Cold drink? Pepto? Tylenol?" Kate offered.

Helen shook her head.

"I think I'll manage," Helen looked at the small petri dish holding the ear sample. "Besides, I should start working on this."

Kate nodded.

"Can I help with anything?"

Helen looked over to Nikola who was fiddling with his ears, not quite getting a handle on them. He was adorable sometimes.

She turned back to Kate.

"Just keep an eye on him, tell me if anything else grows on him," said Helen.

"What like brown fur or if he starts squeaking?" joked Kate.

"Anything out of the ordinary," Helen clarified as she went over to a computer monitor and turned it on, happy when it buzzed to life. "Thank you Henry."

Helen pulled out an electronic microscope and plugged it into the computer inserting the petri dish under the lens.

"There we go," she smirked seeing the image magnified on the monitor. "Kate, could you go to main lab and bring me a standard test kit?"

Kate nodded.

"Sure thing," she left the room.

Helen was starting to get into scientist mode when a tapping noise brought her out of focus.

Nikola was tapping on the glass.

"Helen…" came his slick voice, slightly distorted by the glass.

Helen felt her back bristle.

"I can see you," he continued.

Helen growled, continuing to ignore him.

"I know you can hear me," he said with a slight chuckle.

"Not if I don't want to," she mumbled to herself.

"Do you realize how hot you look when you brood?" he teased.

Helen clenched her teeth together and continued working.

"Come on, Helen, I know you want to look at me," she knew he was grinning.

"No, I don't," she muttered, knowing he couldn't hear her.

"I promise this will only take a moment," he continued.

"Doubtful," she said through tight lips.

"Please, Helen, just one little smidgeon of your time, like this big," he said with cheesy cute voice, like one would talk to a baby.

Helen looked over and let out a laugh. He really did look adorable with his new set of ears. One twitched slightly, the other drooped forwards, he looked like a floppy puppy.

Helen stood up and went over to the intercom.

"What do you want, Nikola?" she said with a huff.

"I just want to talk," he moved over to talk with her face to face, at least, as close as he could get.

"First thing, when is lunch?" he put a hand on his stomach. "I'm surprisingly famished."

"Nikola, stop wasting my time, what do you want?" she crossed her arms.

"Let me help, I hate being useless," he put his hand on the glass barrier. "I'm going to go crazy in here."

"You've only been in there for a short while," Helen rolled her eyes.

"I never said I was going crazy now, but I will be going crazy soon, it's inevitable, please just give me something to do!" he pleaded.

"If you get bored you can always stroke yourself," Helen grinned with the innuendo.

"As pleasant as that sounds, spare me," he sneered. "Get wolf boy to bring me my computer so I can at least get some work done in here! I being alone with my thoughts, a man can go crazy with his thoughts! I've already been through that! Don't make me do it again!" he cried overdramatically and Helen laughed.

"Fine, you can assist me then," she sighed moving over to her desk and rolling it over so it was close enough for him to see.

"What's that?" he asked.

"It's the sample I took from your ear," she sat back down settling herself on the stool.

"What are you going to do with it?" he looked at her.

"I'm going to cross-reference it with our on-hand samples of Nubbin DNA, see if you're really turning into a Nubbin or a Nubbin off-shoot," she typed something.

"How fast do you think it will happen?" he asked.

Helen shrugged.

"From what it looks like from infection to the first symptom, your timeline is a few days at best, but this is not the first transformation we've seen, so we have somewhere work from," she said as encouragingly.

"And if I'm stuck like this?" he gestured to his ears.

"We'll make sure you're very comfortable," she joked, but on the inside she shuddered, not wanting to think about that possibility, especially if she was next.

Nikola lifted a hand to one of his ears and started fiddling with it, she watched him for a minute.

"Will you focus on this?" she sighed, this was not the time to play with his ears.

"Just scratching," he shrugged lamely, but he wasn't exactly in the throws of pleasure either, he had his eyes fixed on the monitor as he absentmindedly scratched his ear.

"Hmm, when I touched them earlier you could barely form words," she turned to him.

"Maybe you affect them in a special way?" he grinned.

Helen rolled her eyes.

"One sec," she hopped of her stool and moved around to the door and unlocked it, stepping into the room. She closed the door behind her.

Nikola watched her every step.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Call it testing a theory," she came up to him. "Hold still."

He shifted away.

"You're not going to take another sample, are you?" he lifted his hands to fend off any attack she could make.

"No, I promise, just hold still," she slapped his hands down and lifted a hand to one of his ears. As soon as her fingers enclosed the fluffy flap of skin Nikola's eyes squeezed shut out and he let out a deep guttural groan.

"Oh lord," he moaned, his body falling back to lean against the wall.

Helen released his ear and he immediately relaxed.

"Wow," he groaned, his eyes opening. "What a rush…"

"Now you do it," she ordered.

He looked lost for a second.

"Well okay, you don't have any ears I guess I'll have to improvise," he reached a hand out to her and she slapped it. "Your own ears!"

He chuckled but complied. He barely flinched.

"Nothing," he sighed, dropping his hand.

Helen re-grasped his ear and he immediately tensed and moaned again.

"Weird," she puzzled.

He let out some incoherent throaty response. His hand reached out to grasp her arm to stop her assault on the highly sensitive cartilage on his head.

"I think we should conclude this test now, or I won't be responsible for my actions," he groaned out, his breathing coming out in short pants.

"Oh, right," she retracted her hand.

He let out a long ragged breath as he fought to reign himself in.

"That was like…strapping an electrode to every single erogenous zone and putting the voltage on high," he blinked the desire from his eyes.

"Yet they're only sensitive to touch from an alternative stimulant," she knitted her eyebrows together as she pondered.

"Well, it's like when your ticklish, you tickle yourself it's not nearly as intense as when someone else does it," he suggested. "Maybe the stimulant comes from a different energy signature, otherwise the Nubbins would be rubbing their ears against everything."

Helen winced at the thought.

"Creepy," she bit her lip.

"You're telling me," he clenched his fists. "You're not the one with furry little sex pistols on his head."

"This explains a lot actually, they exude their pheromones as a response to stimulation, as humans our natural instinct when it comes to petting an animal is to pat the head, and if you're right, one brush of the hand over the ears would be enough to curl their toes…if they had toes," she began to pace as she voiced her thoughts.

"So we pet them, they fart pheromones in our face, then we become horny bastards, oh that makes sense," Nikola shrugged sarcastically.

"Something like that," Helen smirked then frowned. "I should leave."

She suddenly left the room locking it behind her.

"As you put it, we've already done enough horny bastarding today," she moved back to the computer.

He thought about that statement then nodded, getting her meaning.

"Pheromones, right," he sighed and started to pace himself, subtly counting each step.

"You realize this is an opportunity to learn more about the Nubbins, in a way we've never been able to," she turned to him from the other side of the window.

"So what, I become your guinea pig?" he asked her incredulously.

"More like guinea Nubbin, but yes," she smiled that way she got when she was on the verge of a great scientific discovery.

Nikola chuckled.

"For the smile it puts on your face how can I say no," he teased.

"Don't worry, I won't make you seduce a Nubbin," she teased back.

"Well, take out all the fun of it! Now, I have nothing to look forward to," he joked and Helen laughed.

"I think you'll live," she smirked.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" he glared at her.

"Oh yes."

_**~~~~A Few Hours Later~~~~**_

Will hang up his phone and stuck it in his pocket entering into the lab where Helen and Nikola were.

"I just got off the phone with Biggie, he has the results from your blood test, clean as a whistle, no trace of Nubbin infection what-so-ever," he said plopping down the file data on to the desk.

Helen let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh thank god."

"Yah, Biggie is returning, he should be back shortly. Henry has most of the systems back up and running, Kate is helping him with some last details," said Will.

"Good, I would still like to keep the abnormal levels secured down, for now," she sighed.

"Right," he nodded.

"Can we have lunch?" asked Nikola.

Helen sighed.

"I've told you already, no eating, it could be a trigger to some sort of Nubbin sex overdrive, and you're driving me crazy enough as it is," she looked over at Will.

"Yah, that's true, the more they eat, the jumpier they become, best you hold on a bit longer.

Nikola groaned.

"But I'm locked in here, I'm not going anywhere, just give me something! I'll eat a protein bar if I have to!" he whined.

"No," Helen said sternly.

He whined again.

"You'll live, you've gone weeks without eating before do it now," she rolled her eyes.

"Yah, but it's never been this bad," he groaned.

"All the more reason not to feed you," Will interjected.

"Yes, don't make me put up a "Don't feed the Nubbin' sign," added Helen.

"You are all cruel," he glared at them.

They laughed at him then turned away ignoring him.

"How's everything coming?" asked Will.

"Well we've definitely made progress," she sighed.

"Oh yes, the wondrous and complex study of erotic ear stroking, it's ground breaking!" muttered Nikola sardonically in the background.

"Nikola is graciously lending his unique situation for the benefit of science," Helen glared at him.

"That's what she calls it, in actuality she just grabbed me by the ear a forced me to participate," he sneered at her.

"Please you enjoyed yourself," she sneered back.

"Have you found anything interesting about his condition?" sighed Will, bringing back the focus on the topic at hand.

"Well, no, other than it's not contagious, and now that I'm not infected we can devote more time in finding a way to reverse the process. I've already started the first batch of cocktail to test on the ear sample, see if it reverses its state, if it works Nikola will be back to being his Nubbinless self which I'm sure will make everyone happy."

"You know I can hear you, right?"

"Yes, I know," she glared at him.

"Well, I guess I won't keep you from your incredibly important work," smirked Will. "Perhaps I'll go to the kitchen…make myself a sandwich."

Nikola growled.

"Rub it in, boy, when I get out you're the first one I'm coming after…after Helen," Nikola pouted watching the young man leave.

Helen was about to say something but then she was suddenly overcome with an intense light-headedness and she collapsed on the floor, completely unconscious.

Nikola was by the window in an instant, smacking on the window to get Will's attention.

"Helen! Helen!" he called, smacking the window even more.

Will spun around fast.

"What happened?" Will re-entered, moving next to Helen.

"Uh, I don't know she just collapsed all of the sudden," Nikola looked down at her, fear brimming the grey of his eyes.

"Her pulse is rapid," said Will.

"You need to get her to the infirmary, quick!" said Nikola.

Helen suddenly opened her eyes.

"Helen!" Nikola sighed in relief, but it was brief as she soon clutched her stomach and let out a painful cry.

Will quickly stood up.

"Medical emergency in Observation Lab 3! I need a gurney here stat!" called Will over the intercom.

"H-Helen, what's happening?" cried Nikola, feeling helpless watching her writh in obviously great pain.

"UGH! Make it stop!" she screamed.

"Do something William!" cried Nikola.

"What do I do?" Will cried back, he was never good with medical emergencies.

"I don't know, give her the Heimlich maneuver! I'm the electrical genius for crying out loud, I don't know these things!" Nikola was becoming more frantic.

"Sedative!" screamed Helen.

"Which one?" Will ran to the kit and opened it up.

"The blue one looks good," suggested Nikola.

"The blue one is disinfectant you moron!" shouted Helen, she threw her shoe at the window.

"I'm only trying to help, Helen! I'm sorry I can't read labels from behind a wall of glass!" he considered removing his shoe and throwing it at the window as well but decided against it.

"Here! This one!" said Will, filling a syringe as fast he could and quickly injecting it into Helen's arm.

She quickly went limp and unconscious again.

"Are you sure that was sedative?" asked Nikola.

"I'm pretty sure I can read a freaking label!" yelled Will.

"You know what? So did I? But guess what, today is just full of new revelations!" fumed Nikola.

"If you could've just kept it in your pants we wouldn't be in this mess!" shouted Will.

"It's not like I planned the out this way!"

"Dude!" Kate interrupted the spat.

"We could hear the shouting from the elevator," she sighed, running over to Magnus.

"He started it!" cried Will.

"I didn't start it, he did!" cried Nikola.

"No, you started it when you got bit in the hand by that freaking Nubbin and turned the whole day on its rear!" shouted Will.

"I'm sorry, did you have to cancel your day at the spa, princess?" Nikla mocked but Big Guy barged into the fight, growling.

The two were effectively silenced.

Kate knelt down to check on Helen.

"What happened?" she looked up at Will.

"She collapsed, quite suddenly," interjected Nikola before Will could open his mouth to speak.

"We gave her a sedative because she started to scream in pain," said Will through gritted teeth.

"She was holding her stomach," added Nikola.

Kate nodded and rolled Helen over so she could check over her stomach. She pressed down on the tissue of her abdomen but immediately bounced back, as her entire abdomen started to swell.

"Holy!" she cried.

"What the heck is that?" cried Will.

"Oh, I hope this doesn't turn into that scene from Alien," muttered Kate, Big Guy grunted in agreement.

All three of them watched with held breaths. But the swelling stopped, just as suddenly as it had started. After a few moments Kate shook her head.

"Let's get her to the infirmary," said Kate.

"Guh, guh! We should get the ultrasound," said Big Guy.

"Agreed, Will a little help?" asked Kate and Will shakily nodded his head and helped Kate lift her on to the gurney.

"Wait, wait! Let me go with you! I can help!" pleaded Nikola.

"No, Magnus's orders were for you to stay in there," said Will. "Just stay put, we'll come back with any news as soon as we receive it."

Kate and Will quickly wheeled Helen out of the lab.

Big Guy looked over and gave Nikola a shrug before following after.

Nikola growled, vamping out and slamming his hand against the window. It bounced but didn't break, and neither helped him feel any less frustrated.

He hated this; he was caged while Helen was in danger, and it could all be his fault.

He let out a frustrated cry and brought his fist back to hit the window again.

"Dammit!"

**~~~~Author's Notes~~~~**

I'll give 5 dozen Nikola huggles to the one who can guess what's going to happen to Helen next. The winner of this contest gets to request a special scene at the end of this story :P Unfortunately there are limitations...no smut, and no sappy fluff, give me something i can work with, and it can be a scene, or an element in a scene (a.k.a. boob graze, a kiss, etc) or you can write me a line you want Nikola to say that i can work in to the conversation (language appropriate if you please, and in english though you can request i translate it into Serbian), or you can be out there and just request something ridiculous. or you can just take the five huggles, but use them sparingly, there are only soo many in stock!

Hmm, i wonder if anyone will participate :P


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Nikola paced in his cell, his hand absentmindedly coming up to his ears and scratching them aimlessly.

His mind couldn't help but run through all the horrible possibilities which quickly turned into the realm of the ridiculous as his mind slowly picked of idea after idea, starting from tumors going all the way down to invisible nanite aliens building a city on her pancreas.

He partially blamed himself for the mess, if he hadn't been bitten he wouldn't have gone crazy, but it was too late to fix that.

He stopped suddenly, feeling slightly lightheaded.

He shuddered. He didn't like the sound of that.

He looked down at his stomach.

"Don't grow," he muttered to it.

In response it gurgled loudly; damn he was hungry. He hasn't been this hungry since 1878.

He began to pace again. Somebody better update him on the situation soon or he was going to lose it.

_**~~~~Infirmary~~~~**_

The team rolled Helen into one of the operating rooms as fast as they could, Big Guy scrubbing up to the best he could as he was the medical professional after Helen.

Kate quickly pulled out the ultrasound, it was the quickest way to find out what was going on inside Helen's body, if it was dangerous they could hopefully get to it before it caused any harm to her.

Big Guy stepped into the OR and shooed them out before he began his work.

They all rushed out and watched from the window on the other side.

Kate held in her breath, unconsciously, unknowingly so did the boys as they watched Big Guy start up the ultra sound machine and slide it across Helen's swollen abdomen. The monitor hummed to life and was son covered by the image of Helen's insides.

"Whoa," gasped Kate.

"Is that?" said Henry.

"It can't be…" blinked Will.

"We're going to have to tell her…and Tesla," said Kate.

"I wouldn't even know where to begin," Will said dumbfounded. "It's not like they taught a class on this in school."

Big Guy grunted.

"We'll tell her before we tell the vampire," he said.

"No kidding," Kate brought a hand to her cheek, smacking it lightly; she had to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

"This is not going to go over well with the Doc," said Henry.

The three of them nodded simultaneously.

"I'll get the horse tranqs," said Kate.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

Helen groaned as her eyes fought to open, fighting against the blinding light. She was in the infirmary; she recognized the smell and the sounds.

He eyes finally snapped open to the worried faces of her team, minus one furry-headed one she assumed was still in his cage.

"Doc, whoa, take it easy," said Kate, helping her sit up.

"Ughh, what happened?" she groaned, holding a hand up to her head.

"You collapsed and started to cry out that your stomach hurt," said Will.

"I remember that," she muttered.

Kate handed her a cup of water and she took it gratefully.

"What happened after that?" she prodded on.

"Well, I gave you a sedative which knocked you out cold, and while you were out you stomach started to swell, and…"

Helen looked down at her stomach, which had quite the prominent bulge in it.

"Bloody hell," she cried, her hands coming to rest on it. "What the hell is that?"

"See, that's the funny thing, you're going to laugh when we tell you," said Kate, visibly perturbed.

"Yah, you won't believe it, it's ridiculous," added Henry.

"Then tell me," she stared at them seriously, and they awkwardly shifted on the balls of their feet.

"You're, uh, you're pregnant Magnus," said Will.

Helen's face immediately fell and paled.

"Excuse me," she was utterly shocked.

"We're 99% sure it's from Tesla's little Nubbin Mind Murk episode, but instead of infecting you with Nubbin DNA he infected you with…a litter of them," Will said awkwardly.

"A litter?" Helen said, her eyes still wide.

"We counted about six or seven of them," Kate handed her the ultrasound scan. "Ears and all."

"The good news is from our previous tests on Nubbin mating cycles we predict they'll pop out in a few hours, so it's not like 9 months of this, but unfortunately you are going to get bigger, so the next few hours aren't going to be very comfortable," said Will.

"Biggie ran some tests, if it makes you feel any better they're not really yours or Tesla's, they're more like a genetic discharge, probably excess from the bite Nikola received…you're more or less a delivery system than a parent," shrugged Henry.

Helen glared at them all.

"I don't feel any better, but thank you," she groaned.

"If anything Tesla is responsible for them, his DNA has the highest chance of being mingled with theirs, you just had the womb," added Kate. Helen groaned again.

"Where is he?" she growled.

"Right where you left him," said Will.

She immediately swung her legs over the edge and stood up.

"Whoa Doc, the sedative just wore off, are you sure you want to be…"

"What Henry?" she growled and he closed his mouth.

"Nuh-nothing…go ahead," he shook his head and diverted his gaze.

Will could practically see the smoke blowing out of her ears. The three of them followed closely behind Helen in case she fainted again, but neither attempted to stop her, she was a steaming train on a collision course and none wanted to be collateral damage.

Helen turned to Kate.

"Give me your gun," she demanded. Without question Kate handed it to her.

She took it with a slight nod of the head then barged into the observation lab.

"Helen!" she smiled with relief. "You're alright!"

She marched straight to the door of the isolation room and stepped in, pointing the weapon straight at him.

"I'm going to kill you!" she cried.

"Oh no, not again!" he ducked behind the angled gurney missing the bullet she had fired at him. "Helen! We talked about this! You tell me what I did wrong and then you kill me!"

Helen fired again.

"No, I just think this time I'll kill you and I'll ask questions later!" she growled, moving around the gurney and firing at him again.

He yelped and dodged it.

"Can't I even get a hint?" he pleaded, ducking another shot.

"Guess, you have three chances," Helen fired again.

"I didn't leave the Bunsen burner on again, did I?"

He kept low, using the gurney as a shield.

"Nope."

Helen shot a bullet right between his ears. They instinctively moved out of the way, like something out of a cartoon. The bullet bounced of the back wall leaving a cloud of dust in its wake.

"You didn't jump the Big Guy did you?" he squeaked as another bullet whizzed past his ear.

"Guess again!" she shouted.

She stepped into full view.

"Take a good long look at me Nikola and use that so-called genius to determine a probable cause!" her eyes blazed with anger.

"Uhh," he looked at her, and noticed the enlargened stomach. "You're bloated and embarrassingly gassy."

Helen growled and shot at him again.

"No, you bloody moron!" she pulled the trigger but the gun was empty so she tossed it at him instead, it him in the shoulder and he yelped, trying his best to crawl away.

"Argh! I'm sorry for whatever I did, I'm sorry! Don't hurt me!" he crawled away desperately, but she lunged at him, grabbing him by the head and pinning him. "Agh! Have mercy! Not the ears, not the ears!"

"They're the first to go! And then I'm going to make you a eunuch!" she screamed.

"AHH!" he lifted his head up to the giggling threesome staring through the window. "Help, she's gone insane!"

Will shrugged.

"We're not going in there," they shook their heads.

Nikola growled and squirmed out of Helen's grip, quickly hooking his leg around hers and spinning them around so he was pinning her.

"Helen, calm down and think rationally, just tell me what it is because I assuredly do not know what I've done to you!" he cried and Helen sucked in a long deep breath.

"We're having a litter alright!" she yelled.

His face dropped suddenly, as well as his ears.

"What? He released his grip on her wrists and she took the opportunity to kick him between the legs.

He squeaked and toppled off her lying on the floor in the fetal position, his eyes crossing and his ears flattening as he groaned.

Helen squirmed to stand up on the floor.

"There! I told you! We are having a litter of fluffy little Nubbins and it's all your fault!"

He gasped.

"My fault?" his voice came out as a hoarse whisper.

"Yes, you're fault," she crossed her arms.

"Wait…are you saying you're pregnant?" he looked up at her.

"No, they just popped out of thin air! Of course that's what I'm saying!" she growled.

"With, with _my_ litter?" he was unbelievably lost.

"Unless you can think of any other half-nubbins who could've done it," she glared at him.

"So soon?" he asked incredulously.

"They're Nubbins they don't take long to gestate!" Helen resisted the urge to smack him.

Nikola sat up on his haunches, still looking horribly confused.

"We're having a litter," he said, rather affectionately, he reached out to touch her stomach but she slapped them.

"They're not children, Nikola!" she barked.

He held his hand and rubbed it.

"Don't say that about our babies!" he teased.

"They're not ours, if anything they're Damian's!"

Nikola scrunched his face up.

"You slept with Damian as well! Oh, Helen how could you?" he teased more and Helen smacked him.

"Will you be serious for one moment, Nikola?"

"How can I? We don't even know if you're carrying my Nubbins and you want me to accept full responsibility! Hah!" he stood up and crossed his arms. "You must make the bed you slept in, Helen!"

Helen grabbed him by the ear and yanked it hard so his face was directly in front of hers.

"One more joke and I swear I will use your little Nubbin self as a croquet ball!" she threatened.

He whimpered and she released his ear.

"They're Nubbins, but whether they're just a discharge of DNA transferred to you from Damian's bite then to me, or if I am pregnant with little Tesla-Nubbin hybrids is something we've yet to determine, either way it's your fault," she glared at him.

"I'm sorry, how many times do I have to apologize for getting 'accidentally' bitten by a Nubbin! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'M SORRY! Are you happy now?" he cried.

"No! Because I am still pregnant with them!" she smacked his chest.

"Well, what do you want me to do about it, build a time machine and go back and impregnate Kate?" he growled.

"Hey! Leave me out of this!" cried Kate over the intercom.

"I just want you to be supportive, is that so hard to understand?" she slammed the palm of her hand against his chest with every word.

"Yes! Especially when you keep hitting me!" he whined.

"I'm sorry!" she cried.

"Well, I'm sorry too!" he cried back.

"Why haven't you kissed me yet?"

"I don't know!"

In an instant the two of them locked lips, Helen's hands instantly sliding up to his ears and stroking them. Nikola groaned against her lips and pressed her against the wall.

"Ah hell," muttered Kate. "Party's over!"

She and Will immediately ran to the isolation room door and went in, covering their mouth and nose with their sleeves in case the pheromones were out of control in there.

Will went to Nikola and Kate went to Helen and simultaneously pulled them apart, ushering Helen out of the room and Nikola to the far side then locking the door behind them.

Helen shook her head once she was far away.

"That was close," said Kate.

Helen coughed and then gained her equilibrium.

Once she oriented herself she marched up to the window and glared at Nikola.

"I hate you," she said crossly.

He shrugged.

"I'm pretty sure that time it was you, maybe you should have your hormone levels tested, pregnancy does horny wonders on a woman's mind," he teased.

"You should get your brain tested for rising levels of stupidity," she turned away from him and clenched her teeth tightly together. That man made her so mad!

"Hey dude, are you alright?" asked Henry.

Helen turned back around to see Nikola clutching his head.

"Sudden headache! Ohhh!" he groaned.

"Nikola," the anger drained from Helen and soon filled with concern.

She saw his hands clench and unclench, and then the long black talons extend from his fingertips. His face was tight and the chords in his neck bulged as his face turned red and flustered.

"AGHH!" he cried and his eyes turned blood black then suddenly back to blue. He stopped and sucked in a deep breath.

His teeth had changed though. They were two rows of small sharp pointy teeth accompanied by two long sharp vampire fangs, like Nubbin's teeth except much scarier.

"Ughh, what a brain freeze," he muttered, holding his head.

"Nikola, what's happened?" she asked.

"I…I think this is the next step in the transformation," he sighed. "Next I'll be sprouting fur and hopping around like a bouncy ball."

"Hopefully we can fix it before it comes to that," she turned to Henry. "Increase the temperature, I want to slow down the process before it gets out of hand."

He nodded.

"Don't worry, Nikola, I'll fix this," she said, her previous rage forgotten.

"I know you will," he said, the words pushing past the unusual set of teeth he had sprouted.

He looked cute as a vampire Nubbin. She chuckled slightly to herself. His ears had a life of their own and moved in different ways according to what he was feeling, just like a puppy, and his new teeth gave him a cute, if somewhat befuddled expression.

She would definitely have to get some more pictures before he returned to his normal state.

Though, she might want him to keep the ears, they were definitely becoming way too much fun. She could see them having quite the romp with those ears and a bottle of Claret.

She paused.

Where had that thought come from? Must be an after effect of the pheromones.

She shook her head and kept going.

"Can I eat something now? Because obviously the release of pheromones has nothing to do with food intake!" cried Nikola.

"Fine, I'll bring you a sandwich," sighed Will.

"Thank you!" groaned Nikola and he planted his butt on the floor of the room, his ears drooping as he pouted. He hated being stuck in there.

Helen turned to him.

"Just a little bit longer, Nikola, I promise," she tried to sound encouraging.

He shrugged.

"Yeah, yeah," he waved her off.

"You'll be back to your original self in no time," she tried to comfort him.

"I'm fine, I'm just turning into a Nubbin, you're the one about to give birth to a litter of them," he sighed.

"Yah, but I don't have to grow extra parts to do that," she looked at him softly. "I'm sorry for trying to shoot you," she apologized.

"Nah, you were upset and hormonal, you had every right to," he shrugged.

Helen smirked and shook her head.

"Yah, it was the hormones," she rolled her eyes.

He smirked slightly as well.

"Go!" he suddenly shouted. "The longer you stay here and argue with me the less time you have to turn me back, now go, woman, go!" he shooed her away.

Helen laughed.

"Fine, I'll mosey along," she pretended to go away slowly.

"When it turns out that I am stuck this way permanently you're going to feel like a real jerk," he teased and she stuck out her tongue.

"And if I die from child birth so will you," she left and he crossed his arms and huffed.

She was impossible sometimes.

**~~~~Author's Notes~~~~**

*glares at readers* You are all too smart for me.

Because almost all of you guessed it *grumbles* You all win a Nikola huggle and a consolation Nikola shaped cookie, (it tastes of wine and is covered in chocolate :P quite fitting actually) Since it is all a tie i guess the writing will be left to me *sighs* Next time 'll have you really stumped.

*gasps* I'm not becoming...predictable *gulps* AHHHH!

Anyway, a fun chapter, no Teslen getting freaky again i'm afraid, and that was some of your guesses *shakes head* this isn't that kind of Nubbin fic! But there was some kissing so don't throw your shoes at me *ducks shoe* and don't worry there's going to be a lot more fun coming soon :)

Enjoy :P


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Helen stared at the screen, her eyes knit together in deep concentration.

"If you keep staring that intensely any moment you're eyes are going to explode from their sockets," said Big Guy, his sudden arrival caused Helen to jump slightly.

"I, I was just trying to figure something out…" Helen said turning to her old friend. "The conversion process is virtually the same for Nikola as it was for Will, yet the Nubbin DNA is completely rejecting the treatment, I've injected Nikola's DNA, foreign DNA, a DNA scrubber, everything we came up with the last time, I've tried it all, nothing! Every test remains the same, it just feeds on it, growing faster," sighed Helen, putting a hand to her head.

"What are you saying, Magnus?" asked Big Guy.

"I'm saying I don't want Nikola to spend the rest of his life as a Nubbin, but it seems that he may have no choice," she frowned.

"We didn't give up on William, and we won't give up now," Big Guy said comfortingly.

"I don't know, old friend," she shook her head. "I don't want to but I'm running out of options."

She looked down at her hands.

"Maybe we have to think outside the box," suggested Big Guy.

"Like what?"

"When we found you two, uh…together, we fired stunners at you, Nikola was hit once but it didn't knock him out, simply snapped him out of the fog for a brief second."

"Are you thinking some kind of electro-shock therapy?" asked Helen.

"Eh, couldn't hurt," shrugged Big Guy.

"Of course, electricity is essentially part of Nikola's DNA, it moves through him like blood ever since he absorbed it from Edison's electric chair," she stood up, beginning to pace. "If we can get his help we can modify one of the stunners to hit him with a steady low current stream. I don't know if it will work but it's a start."

She moved towards the door.

"Magnus," said Big Guy warily.

"I promise not to shoot him," sighed Helen.

"Guhhh, that's not what I meant," he said his voice growing deeper.

Helen nodded.

"I know," she sighed again. "Later, my friend, later."

Big Guy nodded; she knew what he was going to say and she didn't want to hear it, not now.

She entered back into the lab and almost laughed seeing Nikola sitting on his butt, ears drooping, eating the last remains of a sandwich, watching a tv like a young child, eyes glues to the screen. He was adorable sometimes.

Kate leaned on the wall texting.

"_Ohhh Marjorie, how could you do this to me?"_

"_I'm sorry Kenneth, but I'm in love with Juan, our engagement is over!"_

"_Ohhh Marjorie, why Marjorie?"_

Helen rolled her eyes at the cheesy dialogue coming from the television.

She moved towards Kate.

"What is this?" she asked.

"Oh, I brought up the T.V. to keep him occupied, he was driving me bat-crazy, I hope it's not a problem," said Kate.

"No, in hindsight I should've done it hours ago," sighed Helen.

"_Oh Kenneth! I cannot leave you! Oh! My heart is so torn!"_

"What in the world is he watching?" asked Helen.

"Soap operas, this room only picks up two channels, it was either this or the home and garden network," sighed Kate. "He seems to be enjoying it."

"It's complete garbage," Helen scrunched up her face in disgust.

"You should've seen the last one, compared to that this one is halfway decent," groaned Kate.

Helen rolled her eyes again.

"Why don't you take a break, I'll keep an eye on him," said Helen to the young woman.

"Thank god, if ihave to hear the say "Oh Marjorie! Oh Kenneth" again, I'm going to crack," Kate swiftly moved out of the room.

"_No Marjorie, you must! Juan is the one you love, don't let me keep you from your happiness!" _

"_I'm not sure of anything anymore Kenneth, though my heartbeats for Juan, my mind thinks of you."_

"_Follow your heart, Marjorie. Follow your heart."_

"Go with Juan you hussy, he's sleeping with Dana on the side anyway!" cried Nikola at the screen.

Helen snickered.

"Having fun?" she walked over to the window.

"Marjorie St. Valentine is a mess, not only is she pregnant with Hulio, Juan's twin brother's child, but she cannot choose between her fiancé, the sleezebag millionaire Kenneth Van Droughten, or the real love her life, misfit and all around good guy and hunky pool boy Juan Carlos…she reminds me of someone, don't you think?" Nikola grinned and Helen rolled her eyes. "Not to mention that Kenneth is sleeping with his receptionist Dana who is married to his cousin Roberto, who is having a scandalous affair with his tennis instructor George."

Helen laughed.

"Shakespeare couldn't write it himself," she sighed.

"No he couldn't, because he didn't, he just put his name on everything," sighed Nikola. "Sam wrote a book about it, it changed my world."

"I've said it, and I will keep on saying it, that man was a poor influence on you," she teased.

"How are the tests coming?" he looked at her.

"Inconclusive at the moment, but I'd like to run a battery of different tests on you, if that's alright," she gave him a smirk that meant trouble.

"You just want to play with my ears, don't you?" he eyed her suspiciously and Helen laughed.

"I think they've seen enough action for one day, no I was thinking more to do with your favorite element in the world."

"Ooh chocolate, go on," he joked and Helen rolled her eyes.

"Electricity, pay attention," she sighed. "Now, I have a theory about something, it's a bit out there but I was thinking we hit you with a localized EM pulse and we're thinking that the electricity in your veins might have a positive reaction that will, at least slow down your rate of conversion."

"Ooh, a little electro-shock therapy to help clear the mind," Nikola chuckled.

"It means you get to come out of the isolation room and do something, unless you have to know the fates of Marjorie St. Valentine and her lover Juan Carlos," she teased.

"Well, I would like to know if she will ever find out that she is carrying Hulio, not Juan's child, but on the other hand…Yes!" he stood up quickly. "Get me out of here!"

Helen smirked.

"Now, remember, keep your pheromones to your self," she said sternly.

"Got it, you just have to keep your hormonal paws of my ears and that won't be a problem," he moved to the door, jumping excitedly.

Helen chuckled at his excitement.

She unlocked the door and he came barging out.

"Freedom!" he cried happily. He threw his arms around her. "I've never been happy to see so much space!"

Helen pushed him off.

"Pheromones!" she growled.

"Oh right, sorry," he smiled sheepishly.

"Can we take a short detour to the garden so I can run around for like a minute?" he gave her big adorable eyes but she shook her head.

"You're not a puppy, Nikola," she rolled her eyes.

"I know, but I really, really hate being locked inside a cage for any long period of time," he groaned.

"The air smell fresher! The lights are brighter!" he inhaled deeply.

Helen laughed.

"Come on, before you start quoting poetry," she grabbed him by the collar and dragged him out of the lab.

Nikola chuckled and soon fell into step with her.

"So, where we headed?" he grinned widely, his ear twitching with excitement.

Helen laughed; he was positively adorable with ears.

"We're going down to own of the more insulated labs, I don't want this experiment blowing out our entire system," she pressed the button on the elevator and waited.

She leaned against the wall and Nikola stared at the bulge in her stomach with wide-eyed fascination.

"May I?" he asked cautiously. He reached his hand out to her abdomen.

Helen slapped his hand.

"No," she said flatly.

"But Helen," he whined.

"No!" she glared.

"How can you deprive me all the joys of being a father?" he whined.

"Because you're not a father! You're a carrier system just as I am a delivery system, we're not parents!" she cried.

"Oh I know that, but for posterities sake, please, just once," he pleaded.

"Why?" she asked. "Why is it so important?"

"Scientific curiosity, I've never been a father, and likely never will be, I just want to enjoy the experience of quasi-fatherhood, please," he made a cute face and Helen sighed.

"Fine, just once, and don't get any ideas," she warned and Nikola snickered.

He reached his hand out tentatively again.

"So, how do you do this, is there a specific spot or is just kind of a touch and go thing," he looked at her stomach, very unsure.

Helen sighed and grabbed his hand, bringing it to the curve of her stomach, resting her hand over his lightly.

"There," she sighed and smiled watching his eyes widen and soften at the sensation of life, despite how un-human it was, growing beneath his palm.

"Wow, that's fascinating," he smiled widely.

"It's even more so when it's your own," Helen said sadly. She remembered when she was pregnant with Ashley, it had been such a joyous moment, the first time she had felt her daughter kick. Her eyes had filled with tears, it was a highly emotional moment, and it wasn't just because of the hormones. This, on the other hand, was more like growing a tumor. It felt like a blasphemy to call it a pregnancy, a pregnancy was an act of love and life, unselfish and devoting, sharing your body and heart with a new life that would soon become apart of yours.

It angered her slightly that it was a completely different experience for Nikola. He was acting like a father should, with amazed fascination. It angered her that there was no one there for Ashley. There was James, but he wasn't exactly onboard with the whole idea. There was the members of her team at the time who were excited but weren't exactly wide-eyed and heart-swelling. There was no father's for Ashley, and it made Helen angry that Nikola had that amazement for creatures that weren't even his own species, yet he was acting like they were his own, a love that should've been shown to Ashley. Where had he been for Ashley?

She bit her lip.

"I've never experienced such a sensation," Nikola looked up at Helen and saw the anger and sadness flash in her eyes. "Helen?" he said softer than he intended. "Are you alright?"

She shook her head.

"It's nothing," she pushed his hand away just as the elevator doors opened. "Oh look the elevator."

She averted her gaze and moved away from him and his drooping ears, stepping into the elevator carriage and wrapping her arms around herself.

"Helen…if I've over stepped my boundaries…"

"No, it's not you," she sighed. "It's this whole pregnancy thing…it reminds me too much of Ashley," she watched as realization hit and his ears drooped lower. "It's just…harder than I thought it would be."

Nikola looked away.

"Oh, of course, I should've seen that," he cursed to himself. "I didn't mean to…make you feel that way, I'm sorry."

Helen smiled affectionately.

"It's a weird experience for all of us, I know that wasn't your intention," she sighed.

Nikola looked at her and smiled softly.

"It won't last long, soon they'll be born and we can put this strange day behind us," he took her hand and squeezed it affectionately. "And the first order of business will be to devamp Damian so this never happens again."

Helen chuckled.

"Sooner won't be quick enough," she sighed.

Nikola smiled, his ear twitching slightly that made Helen want to hug him.

She sighed.

"You're ears are adorable," she tugged on the tip of one.

"Hey, we talked about this, no ear pulling no pheromones, remember," he slapped her hand away.

Helen rolled her eyes.

"It's not like I stroked them," she shrugged.

"Well if we end up making out again you cannot shoot me," he warned and Helen chuckled.

"Don't worry, that loses it's entertainment value after awhile," she sighed.

Nikola chuckled.

"Really? And when will that happen?" he glared at her.

"Not for another century or so," she shook her head and laughed.

His ears drooped again making her laugh even more.

The doors closed on the pair as the elevator descended to the lower labs.

_**~~~~Elsewhere~~~~**_

Will leaned back in his office chair, looking at the ultrasound photo again, his mind trying to make sense of it. It bothered him, how fast it had all happened.

Kate knocked on the door, leaning against the panel.

"Hey," she said, her eyes flitting slightly.

"Hey," he sat up straighter. "I thought you were on babysitting duty."

Kate shrugged.

"The Doc took over for me," she sauntered in and plunked into one of the armchairs in front of his desk, crossing her legs slowly.

"Are you ok?" Will quirked an eyebrow at her.

"I don't know, I've been feeling weird ever since I left the lab, can't explain it," she smiled at him. "Have you been feeling funny?"

Will shook his head slowly.

"No, I've been too busy working," he put down the photo. "Are the Nubbin pheromones affecting you?"

Kate grinned and leaned forward.

"That would be funny wouldn't it?" she sing-songed and stood up placing her hands on the desk and leaning forward heavily.

"Not really, because that means that the pheromones have breached the isolation room," he quickly stood up, ignoring how much Kate was pushing her chest out.

"Is it really a problem?" Kate sighed, half-druggedly.

"By the way you're acting I'd say it is," he grabbed her by the wrist. "Come on, we have to find Helen."

"Hmmm, the more the merrier," Kate twiddled behind him like a stoner, not fully grasping the potential gravity of the situation.

The two of them rushed to the observation lab, only to find out with wide-eyed horror that Nikola was missing from the room entirely. The door was left wide open.

"Not good," Will pushed the emergency button and an alarm buzzed through the whole Sanctuary.

"Woot! Woot!" Kate started to dance to the whirring of the alarm.

"We have to find the others, Kate," Will grabbed her arm to get her attention.

"What's the rush stud?" she smiled at him and grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pushed him against the wall. "The party's only gotten started."

She covered his mouth with hers in a hot, open-mouthed kiss.

Will flailed, not wanting to touch her, instead attempting to squirm away. Unfortunately she had him well-pinned against the wall.

She sucked his bottom lip and gripped it between her teeth lightly and Will squeaked; this was wrong in so many ways.

He finally managed to squirm out of her grasp.

"Kate! This is me! Will! We do not like each other in that way," he cried. She swaggered over, lust very evident in her eyes. "I'm with Abby, remember? Blonde, sweet, Abby!"

Kate wasn't listening and just lunged for him again, grabbing his head and crushing their lips together, using his disorientation to climb on to him and wrap her legs around his waist. The sudden force made Will's knees buckled and they fell on to the floor, him landing on top of her.

She purred.

"Mmmm, yes," she slid her hand into his hair.

"No!" cried Will.

Kate rolled them over and slid her hands up his chest.

"Mmmm, yes," she repeated.

"Mmmm, no," said Will sarcastically flipping them over again and then squirming out of her grasp. Once he was on his feet he ran, she was going to be no help at all in this state and he needed to find Henry and the Big Guy to regain control of the situation.

He rounded a corner and came face t0…well gasmask with the very two he was searching for.

Henry handed him one.

"You might need this," he said and Will took it gratefully.

"How'd you know?" asked Will.

"We had them on hand, just in case," shrugged Henry. "Where's Kate?"

"She just tried to jump me in the lab," sighed Will.

"We've got stunners," said Henry and he and Big Guy lifted up the silver weapons.

"We're going to need them," sighed Will.

When he got his hands on those two he was going to shoot them himself.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"They couldn't have just disappeared!" cried Will through his gasmask.

This was unbelievable. Not only was the whole Sanctuary acting up, but the problem, and his pregnant handler, were no where to be found.

"Have you checked the video cameras?" asked Will.

"No luck, the Nubbins chewed them up good, I haven't gotten all of them running yet," sighed Henry.

"Are you sure it's actually from Tesla, what if it is from the Nubbins?" suggested Henry.

Big Guy shook his head.

"It's too strong, whatever this is it gets inside your head and makes you feel like…"

"A horny toad?" finished Will.

Big Guy snickered.

"Yah."

"This is unbelievable, how did he get out? Why would she let him out?" cried Will.

"Maybe the hormones got too strong for her, she does have five of them inside of her…maybe proximity to Tesla has some sort of strange effect on them?" suggested Henry.

"Or vice versa," added Will.

"Exactly," said Henry.

"That's all well and good and all but what do we do about that?" Will pointed to the still highly drugged out Kate who was flitting about in her own isolation room.

"I have no idea," sighed Henry.

"Why wasn't I affected? She was crawling all over me and I didn't feel any sort of pull or imbalance," said Will.

"Maybe it requires closer contact to Helen and Tesla for it to really get to you," suggested Henry.

"You think a higher concentration of the pheromones caused this?" asked Big Guy.

"No, it makes sense, she was the last to see them in the isolation lab, she told me so," said Will.

"Well, how do we fix her?" asked Henry.

"Well, when Tesla was crazy we shot him with a stunner and he came right out of it," suggested Will.

"Guuhh, couldn't hurt," shrugged Big Guy.

"Luckily all the residents are in quarantine," sighed Will. That would not be a pretty sight.

"Aww, does this mean we have to go searching for the dynamic duo and break up their coupling again! Once was bad enough, dude!" whined Henry.

Will sighed.

"We have no choice, we have to get this under control, even if that means a little unpleasant handling," Will groaned.

"I hope you give free therapy lessons," muttered Henry and Will laughed.

"Hey buddy, if you do this, I will let you rant about your whole childhood till it makes you feel better," Will teased.

"It won't but thanks," muttered Henry.

"You're welcome," smirked Will. He handed Henry the stunner. "You can deal with horny Kate."

Henry groaned.

"Why me? He whined.

"Because she has already marked me as her mate, just go in and shoot before she catches a whiff of you," Will patted him on the back and Henry groaned making his way over to the door.

"Katie…please don't jump me," he muttered as he entered the room.

Kate spun on her heel at his voice.

"Hello hunky Hhhhhhank!" she drawled out, hissing the name.

"Hey Katie-bear…" he walked in slowly, using her least favorite nickname.

"Ooh, is that a gun or are you just happy to see me?" she teased.

"No, it's a stunner," he said cautiously. "It's going to make you feel better."

Kate purred.

"Mmm, I like the sound of that," she licked her lips and Henry looked away. This was so wrong!

She started to stalk towards him and he fired.

The shot hit her and she wavered slightly then shook her head.

"Whoa, ice cream headache, not cool!" she raised a hand up to her head.

"Katie?" Henry dropped the weapon.

"We've been over this Hank, you call me Katie I call you Henrietta," she blinked a few times to regain her equilibrium.

"Oh thank goodness," he sighed.

"What's with the gas mask?" she stared at him incredulously.

"I'll tell you in a moment, this one is for you," he handed her a secondary gas mask.

Kate shrugged and put it on.

"Now, what's this all about?" asked Kate.

"You went a little sex crazy," said Will, entering into the room. "Don't worry, you won't be giving birth to a litter of Nubbins anytime soon."

"Well, that's comforting," Kate grinned. "I didn't do anything embarrassing, did I?"

"No, you kept all your clothes on," sighed Will.

"Oh good," she let out a sigh of relief.

"But we have bigger problems," sighed Henry. "Magnus let her Nubbin boy toy out and now they've gone missing.

"Dude, again?" cried Kate.

"Unfortunately, and because of our little Nubbin friends we have now security footage to follow them like before, we're just going to have to do a sweep of the place.

"Well if Tesla is spouting off pheromones can't we track that?" asked Kate.

"How?" asked Henry. "Pheromones don't exactly give off distinct scent, even by my standards."

"Yah but we made that sniffer thing to detect Worth's pale guys, that worked didn't it? Couldn't we modify it to detect the pheromones?" asked Kate.

Henry's eyes lit up at the idea.

"That could work, give me 10 minutes to modify the device," he said, rushing out of the room.

"Well, what do we do?" Kate looked at Will.

"Grab the stunners I suppose," he looked at Big Guy.

"I'll double check that the residential and patient levels are secure," said Biggie.

Will nodded.

"When we find them they are both being separated into their own isolation rooms until either A: Helen gives birth to their the little nubbin litter or B: Nikola transform back into his old self!" he growled.

"Agreed," sighed Kate.

Big Guy grunted and left.

Kate gave one last look to Will, who shook his head.

He didn't want to think about it; he just wanted this whole day to be over.

_**~~~~Elsewhere~~~~**_

Helen watched Nikola work on the stunner with a light curiosity. His hands were quick and careful, skimming over the delicate electrical parts of the gutted weapon.

Her mind flitted slightly to the thought of those hands on her skin but she quickly shook off the idea, keeping herself focused.

"How's it coming?" she broke the silence.

His ears perked up at the sound of her voice.

"Slowly but surely," he turned and grinned at her. "How are you feeling?"

His eyes darted to her abdomen briefly.

"No worse for ware," she sighed.

"Are you sure you don't want to sit down?" he pulled up one of the stools and patted the top lightly.

"I'm good, I'm way to antsy to sit," she walked over to him, watching him work over his shoulder.

"Would you like something to do?" he turned his head slightly.

"No, you're doing fine," she shrugged, not moving.

"If you're going to watch do it from over there," he huffed. "I hate having you peer over my shoulder, it makes my ears twitch."

Helen laughed.

"I can see your ears, they're not twitching," she tickled one and he inhaled sharply.

"Stop that!" he slapped her fingers away.

She teased and grabbed both his ears full force, squeezing them gently.

He groaned and leaned back into her.

"Wasn't it you who came up with the no pheromones rule," he pushed through his groans. His hands dropped what they were doing and came back around to grasp her legs. "You are a very cruel woman."

Helen smirked, secretly enjoying watching him come undone simply from a touch of the ears. It was a control she never thought she'd have over the vampire, and though she was putting herself in a delicate and particularly dangerous position due to her curiosity, she had only so long before the opportunity would become unavailable.

They were alone and far away from a bedroom, and she would stop before it went out of hand but she had to know, had to see what it was like to drive the great Nikola Tesla crazy.

"What does it feel like?" she asked simply.

"Gyah! What do you think?" he shut his eyes tightly, trying not to show how much she was really affecting him. His hand squeezed her thigh gently, and she grinned again.

"Highly sensitive, is it?" she teased, lowering her lips to right above his ear.

"You are…such…a tease!" he cracked one eye open to glare at her.

"I think its kind of fun," she smirked at him.

"Gurhh, you hormonal…gyah!" he groaned again. "You tricked me down here, I knew you wanted to play with my ears!"

Despite the overload of sensation he was trying his hardest not to lose control completely, possibly for her sake, or because he didn't want to get shot again.

"I still want you to help me, but I couldn't pass the opportunity up on the chance that I was right, I am going to miss these ears."

"Don't start what you can't finish, Helen," he let out a breathy chuckle, it was ragged and he sucked in air, making his chest move in and out very quickly.

"Oh, I intend to take this as far as I want," she said slyly. She knew it wouldn't go as far as his mind was going.

"If you like me you could've just said so," his hand slid up further and Helen chuckled.

"This is purely scientifical," she shrugged.

"I'm sure it is," he grinded his nubbin teeth together.

Helen finally released his ears and he sucked in a gasp of air. Hopping off the stool and away from her, shaking out all the residual sensation.

"Gyah! Woman!" he snarled, turning to her and Helen only smirked wider. "You will be the death of me!"

He scrubbed a hand over his face.

"That was…awful!" he scratched his ears.

"I'm sure it was," she teased.

He kept his distance.

"That wasn't pheromones," he said.

"No, that was just my own personal style of cruel curiosity," she shrugged.

He laughed.

"So inside that authoritative woman of good will and conscious is a randy and dangerous creature looking for a victim," he grinned. "I would've never guessed."

Helen rolled her eyes.

"As I said, it was just to satisfy a curiosity," she sighed.

"Is that all? Not to satisfy that hungry beast inside of you that's just begging for some fun," he stepped closer.

"Now is not the time," she glared at him.

"Of course not, you and I aren't in pique condition to do much of anything right now, but once you've de-littered and I'm back to my original self what's stopping us from a grabbing a Chateau '47 and making our own little bundle of joy."

"I can't have children anymore, Nikola," she sighed.

"But we can definitely enjoy trying," he grinned deviously, wrapping his arms around her, bringing his face dangerously close to hers. "I don't mind telling you that I wouldn't mind trying to recall exactly how we did it the first time, wouldn't you?"

Helen stepped away, out of his arms.

"Get to work," she huffed. She maneuvered around the table to watch him sit back at his original place and pick up where he left off with a smug chuckle.

"You want me," he mumbled under his breath in a very teasing manner.

"Please, once you lose your ears you lose half the enjoyment," she rolled her eyes.

"That's only because you can't remember the other half," he teased.

She shook her head.

"Don't let it get to your head, you're deluded enough as it is?" she waivered slightly as the all-too-familiar sensation of light-headedness overcame her.

She brought a hand up to her head.

Nikola looked up and his ears drooped instantly.

"Helen," Nikola dropped what he was doing and moved around to her, grasping her arms lightly. "Are you alright?"

"Huh? Yes, fine," she shook her head. He didn't believe her.

"Maybe you should sit down," he led her over to a stool.

"I said I'm fine," she protested.

"Helen, just sit down! Your pregnant, like it or not, and yes, that means taking it easy for a while," he sat her down on the stool. "Stop being the stubborn control freak I adore so much, and take it easy."

Helen rolled her eyes at his sarcasm.

"Alright, I'll do it your way," she sighed.

"Thank you, was that so hard?" he grinned slightly. "If you won't take care of you then I have to, I don't want the big hairy one or the protégé taking a page from your book and shooting me for letting you pass out."

"So this is to save your own hide?" she glared at him.

"Yes, purely selfish reasons…and maybe I would like to see if I make good Nubbins," he shrugged and Helen laughed.

"Oh yah, I bet they have my eyes and your grin," she remarked sardonically.

"And your father's chin," he joked.

"Boys or girls?" Helen teased.

"Well, we won't know that until one of them starts giving birth…oh I'm not going to like that am I?"

Helen laughed again.

"You never know who you could end up with as a nubbin-in-law," she joked.

"At least we won't have to worry about teen pregnancy," he shrugged.

"Or them getting into drugs," she added.

"But peer pressure is going to be a bitch," he grinned and Helen laughed.

"Nonsense," she shook her head.

Nikola smirked and stepped away from her, moving back to his table.

"If you try to move I'll tie you down," he threatened, picking up his tools and beginning to fiddle with the stunner again.

"You'd enjoy that wouldn't you," smirked Helen.

"Immensely," he grinned, lowering his tool to pick up the loose wires. A sudden sharp shock shot out of the wires right into his finger, causing him to yelp loudly. "AGH! AH! MMMMGHHHH!" he cried loudly, holding his finger.

Helen let out a giggle.

"Argh god!" he cried.

The door burst open and Helen's team came bursting in, firing stunners at them.

Nikola dodged the hail of stun bursts.

"Party's over!" cried Kate but soon blinked as she saw both Helen and Nikola not anywhere near each other.

She smacked Will and Henry's shoulder to stop them from firing.

"Cool it, Rambo!" she cried.

"Magnus?" Will cracked an eye open to see Helen glaring at him and Will.

Big Guy snickered.

"William," she said crossly.

"You guys aren't…"

"Gah! I am so sick and tired of being shot at!" cried Nikola, standing up.

"We thought you were, uh…" started Henry.

"You see, we noticed that…"

"And then Kate kind of…"

"Yah so we naturally assumed you two were…"

Helen and Nikola shared a side-glance.

"We're not following," she interrupted the ramble.

"We thought you two were getting freaky because the whole sanctuary has gone berserk, including me who tried to jump Will," sighed Kate.

Henry lifted up a strange device.

"We modified the sniffer to detect the pheromones and sure enough they led us straight here," said Henry.

"When was this?" asked Helen.

"About 15-20 minutes ago," shrugged Kate.

Helen sighed, it wasn't from her little 'experiment.'

"And if I'm reading this right, it's coming from you Doc," said Henry.

"Me?"

"You guys haven't been feeling funny, at all?" asked Will.

"Well," Nikola started, Helen gave him a look. "Not in the Nubbin sense."

"Weird, because everywhere else it's like the bird and the bees!" said Will.

"Well, think about it, have you every seen a pregnant Nubbin get busy," shrugged Kate.

They looked at Nikola.

He looked at them wide-eyed.

"I don't want to kiss any of you," he said defensively.

They relaxed slightly.

"How is any of this possible?" sighed Will.

"She's growing Nubbins, maybe part of their gestation is to exude a pheromone like chemical that is ten times stronger than that of a regular Nubbin," suggested Kate.

Nikola smirked.

"Maybe it's just good genes," he looked at Helen. Helen started to laugh but was cut short by a sharp pain in her stomach. She grinded her teeth and clutched her abdomen, moving from the stool on to her knees.

"Helen!" Nikola rushed over.

"Doc!" Kate came over too.

Helen let out a pained screech.

"Gyah!" she grunted.

Without a word Big Guy and Henry ran out as quick as they could to fetch a gurney.

"Helen, what's wrong?" Nikola's hand rested on her slowly swelling abdomen. He felt it pulsating beneath his fingertips. It was a kind of electricity; he felt it brewing. It must be from the Nubbins, seems some of his traits were passed on to the little buggers.

In an instant he felt that light-headed dizziness take over him and he stumbled, collapsing on the ground next to her.

"Tesla!" cried Kate.

The headache came and he clutched his head. It felt like an army of fire ants crawling across his skin.

"Will, get another gurney!" Kate looked up at him and, he nodded running after Big Guy and Henry.

Helen, in the midst of her pain turned her head to look at Nikola and he looked back at her through squinted eyes. Kate was busy checking Helen's vitals to make sure she wasn't going into cardiac arrest, leaving this silent moment between them unwitnessed.

He reached his hand out to her and she grasped it in her shaky fingers. She felt fur growing underneath her palm.

Her eyes flitted back to his, and she saw the look of absolute terror, but not for himself, it was for her.

It was the last thing she saw before she fell unconscious.

"Tesla! Stay with me!" Kate came over to him, slapping his face.

All he let out was a squeak, a Nubbin squeak.

This was not good.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Helen lied in the infirmary, unconscious and resting, for now.

From the second ultrasound they knew it wouldn't be long before they would have 5 new comers. On the whole they were all the sizes of pears, but they were different from ordinary Nubbins. They couldn't tell for sure, but they had two very prominent vampire-like fangs on the top set of teeth, and if they were right they were approximately two sizes bigger and the pheromones were five times stronger. Henry and Will were already fixing the Nubbin cage to accommodate these new creatures.

The only thing that worried them was Helen, he stats were declining, she was weak, and at this point they were more terrified that they would try to eat their way out of her then taking a trip out the unmentionables.

They had two options: kill them, or take them out prematurely. None of them were comfortable with either.

Kate and Big Guy watched over Helen as Will and Henry tended to their work. Kate's face was set in a permanent frown.

"Someone should tell him," she said softly, checking the IV in Helen's arm.

"Whose to say he'll understand," shrugged Big Guy.

"He understands, he's still inside there," she looked up at him sharply.

"It's not like he can communicate, it's probably best he doesn't know," sighed Big Guy.

"No I tell you it's different, when Will changed he turned into that creature completely yes, you could tell, but with Tesla…it's the same eyes, he looks at you as if he knows, and I don't think he should be left out of the loop, until the Doc wakes up we will never know what they were working on before they collapsed, it could be important!"

"Yes, but even if he is somehow still there, how can he tell us?" grumbled Big Guy.

"I don't know, I'll think of something, but I do know he's in there, I'm going to try," she sighed and backed away from Helen. "What are you going to do?"

Big Guy grumbled wordlessly.

"I don't know…I don't think she'll survive another fainting spell, these Nubbins, or whatever they are, don't look like they'll come out peacefully," sighed Big Guy.

"Are you thinking caesarian c-section?" Kate looked at him worriedly.

He shrugged.

"Right now, it seems our only option," he sighed.

Kate bit her lip.

"Let me talk to Tesla first, before you do anything, you'll need assistance," she pleaded with her eyes and he nodded.

"I will prep the operating room," he said and Kate nodded.

"I'll be right back," she turned and left quickly going as fast as she could to the room they had placed Nikola in to keep him from getting into trouble. It was a bit more secure and they had more control over the temperature of the room.

She stepped inside tentatively, looking through the glass window.

At this point he had almost completely turned into a Nubbin. He was a bit larger than a regular Nubbin, but only about two sizes.

He sat still in the middle of the room, they had brought in the TV again and it was playing in the background, but she couldn't be sure he was actually watching it.

His ears drooped heavily, almost sadly, the only way she knew he was alive was the way his body moved with each breath.

"Tesla," she said, moving towards the window.

He looked up at the mention of his name.

"It's me Kate," she started.

He looked back down, a small whimper escaping.

Kate swallowed.

"I've come to tell you about…about Magnus," his eyes darted back to her, the same blue-grey eyes she'd come to recognize as his. "The Nubbins she's carrying…we fear they might hurt her if they are carried to full term, we're going to perform a caesarian c-section as quick as possible, but…we just don't know what's going to happen."

She felt his eyes bore into her; it almost broke her heart. She could see the sadness in the blue orbs. It was cutting, like a sharp knife.

"I just though I'd let you know," she sighed.

He let out a low whimper, possibly in response.

"_I'm sorry Marjorie, I cannot help you anymore!"_

"_But Kenneth!"_

Kate sighed.

"You're still watching this?"

Nikola looked up and nodded, or at least she thought he nodded.

Kate looked at the TV for a second then back at him.

"You can hear me in there, can't you?" Kate looked at him and he nodded again. "I thought so."

Kate smiled slightly.

"I promise I'll update you on her condition, just sit tight," she said assuredly.

His ears perked up slightly but not by much.

Kate took that as a good sign and nodded her head once more before leaving.

Nikola's eyes shifted to the TV screen.

"_I know about your pregnancy Marjorie!"_

"_But how, Kenneth!"_

"_The nurse called me with your test results! You're having a girl!"_

"_Kenneth don't be angry with me! I meant to tell you after the engagement party!"_

"_Is it Juan's?"_

"_Yes, but he doesn't want me anymore, he's in love with…Carmalita!"_

Nikola groaned and blinked the channel changing.

"_This flooring is a laminent hardwood, it's easy to clean and maintain and doesn't scratch easily, we'll be installing this on the upper floors and in the living room."_

Nikola squeaked slightly and changed the channel back with another blink.

_**~~~~Back in the Infirmary~~~~**_

Big Guy wheeled Helen into the operating room carefully, making sure her stats stayed even.

Kate rushed in to the infirmary shortly after.

"What do you need me to do?" she called to Big Guy.

"Scrub up!" he ordered gruffly.

Kate nodded and quickly pushed up her sleeves, heading over to the sink.

Once she was thoroughly scrubbed and put her gloves on, she entered into thee OR.

"Watch her, make sure she stays stable," said Big Guy, pointing to the monitor.

Kate nodded.

She moved over, close to Helen's face so she could be ready to bag her if she had a sudden need for oxygen, it also put her closer to the monitor so she could keep an eye on the both of them at the same time as Big Guy began the procedure.

He was calm and careful as he saturated the skin over her abdomen with the numbing agent.

He was being diligent, maintaining a balance between fast and slow. He lifted up the sterilized scalpel to her stomach and sliced a clean line; Kate looked away, wincing in discomfort.

She heard Will enter into the infirmary and looked up at him, peering through the window.

"I heard you were going ahead with the c-section…how is she?" he asked solemnly.

"If we don't get these creatures out of her soon there won't me much left of her, the ultrasound looked like a cross between Alien and Gremlins," answered Kate.

"And Tesla?"

Kate sighed.

"Trapped inside a Nubbin body and completely helpless but other than that he's fine," she looked down at Helen then back up.

"Hey, is there anything I can do to help? Need me on standby for when you start pulling Nubbins out?" offered Will.

Big Guy grunted and nodded.

"Scrub up, the more the merrier," he muttered and Will quickly went over to the sink and did so, soon entering the OR with them.

"What do you need me for?" he asked.

"When I pass them to you, dry them and put them in the incubator," Will winced but agreed, his eyes searching for the small incubator. "Don't expect them to come gently…and don't let the bite you."

Will sighed.

"Right," he was soon regretting offering his help but it was too late to back out now.

"I'm almost through the uteral wall," grunted Big Guy. "Get ready."

"I can't wait," Will rolled his eyes but focused his attention on the task at hand.

A beeping caught Kate's attention.

"Oh crap not now! Will, drop baby cleaning duty and help me!"

Helen was falling fast and they didn't have time to stop with the c-section. Kate started to bag her while Will scrambled around under Big Guy's orders for the right medicine to stabilize her.

This was not going to be easy.

**~~~~Author's Notes~~~~**

I know, short chapter, not much but hey it's better than nothing *shrugs*

I promise there'll be more soon, but i'll be a little busy in the next few days, so here's something to keep you going, a little danger some huhhhh! *gasp* no! and then some awww Nikolaaaaaa! I am nothing if not twisted, i'll add more humor as we go along but in every comedy there needs to be atleast a little tragedy.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Kate kept her eyes downcast as she walked through the halls, every step felt hesitant and wary. She was nervous, unsure of what she was going to say. Her fingers twiddled together as she walked into the lab.

There he was, so small, so unknowing. Two big sad eyes set into a fluffy brown face.

She walked up to the window and watched him silently for a few minutes before rapping on the glass.

"Hey Tesla," she started nervously. "Magnus just came out of surgery…the Nubbins, they all came out fine but…she's not doing so well, I'm sorry, we're keeping an eye on her condition, but we almost lost her during the operation, at this point we might have to scan her, see what damage they may have done, I wish I had better news for you Nikola."

Nikola looked up with his big sad grey orbs and whimpered and long sad sigh. Kate bit her lip.

"Is there anything I can do, anything to help?" Kate sighed

Nikola shook his head in response.

He let out a sorrowful squeak, she couldn't tell if it was for Helen or for himself, but he was not a happy Nubbin either way.

"I wish I could help you but we still don't know what you and the Doc were working on, Henry has examined that stunner inside and out and can't make heads or tails of it and we won't know until Magnus wakes up. Even then, we don't know if we can even finish what you started, I'm sorry it seems your stuck like this for the moment."

Kate noticed the TV had been turned off, neither the soap opera channel nor the home and garden network being adequate distraction for the downcast Nikola.

"I wish there was a way to communicate with you," she sighed.

He looked up and started to squeak rapidly, as if he was trying to speak to her.

"Tesla, I don't speak Nubbin," Kate bit her lip, this was hard to watch even for her.

He bounced up and down shrieking loudly.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand what you're trying to say," she sighed and turned on her heel, not able to watch him anymore.

He squeaked after her.

Once the door had shut behind her Nikola let out a slightly frustrated huff and stomped on the ground in anger for not being heard.

He went over to the wall and leant forward enough for his head to smack into the cement wall. It was as good of a face plant as he could manage.

A little puff of dust emanated off the wall and he immediately leaned back. Letting out an interested squeak.

He looked up and saw the entry way to a vent. He looked over at the angled gurney and a small hint of a smile played on his face.

Despite his Nubbin appearance he still had the same powers he had before. Since the gurney was able to rotate and was made mostly out of metal he had an advantage. He sat and concentrated; using his powers to angle the gurney is such a way that he could use it as a launch pad. In his head he calculated trajectory and the amount of speed, plus approximate weight.

When he was ready he stood on one end of the gurney, looked towards the vent and with a single thought, released one side of the gurney to send him flying straight towards the…wall.

He shrieked before splatting face first against the concrete.

He made a groan before falling back on to the floor.

He landed with a squeak.

In a moment he shook off the shock and managed to roll himself upright again. He shook out his dizzy head then looked back at the gurney with a determined glare.

He was just off by a few factors, a mistake he would not make again.

Once again he positioned the gurney, hopping on top of it then, with a thought, sprung his end up wards. In the air he angled himself so he would crash into the vent bottom first.

He let out a long shrill squeak as he went flying through the vent, bouncing against all four walls as he kept flying through like a tennis ball, till he bounced bum first, head first, bum first, then face planted against the cool metal floor of the vent.

He groaned, his eyes rolling around in their sockets, both dizzy and a little dazed.

It was not long though till he was back on his feet…well sort of.

His ear twitched slightly and he sniffed the air, deciding which way to go. He didn't escape for the heck of it; he had escaped for a reason.

With one last twitch of the ear he made himself down the vent.

_**~~~~Elsewhere~~~~**_

Will sighed passing Kate in the hall.

"Hey, what's going on?" he nudged her shoulder.

She let out a long sigh.

"It's hard, you know, well you do know, you've experienced that feeling of being trapped inside a creature like that, it was hard for me when it was you and it's still hard for me now, it sucks because I know he's in there, and I know he understands what I'm saying but he can't tell me anything in return."

Will ran a hand through his hair.

"I'd say it's harder for him, for me, I don't know, it felt like a bad dream, it was like waivering in and out of conscious, for him."

"You can't compare it really, they're two very different experiences and in the end you're still watching someone you care, or in Tesla's case you tolerate, fade away, and with Magnus being out of it I just feel…so useless," she put her hands on her hips and let out a tired sigh.

"I know how you feel, this Nubbin excursion has caught us all by surprise," he smiled softly.

"Yah, you know, I used to love surprises, now not so much," she rolled her eyes.

"How is he by the way?" asked Will.

"He's fine, even though it's like watching the most melancholy Nubbin in history, even the soap operas don't cheer him up any more," she sighed.

"Maybe another blood sample will lift his spirits?" smirked Will as he lifted up a needle.

"What's this for?" asked Kate.

"Paternity test," chuckled Will. "Big Guy wants to cheer up Magnus when she recovers, we figured that another shooting session with Nikola as the target would perk her right up."

Kate shook her head and laughed.

"Oh I'm sure he will comply willingly," she teased.

"Well, I won't tell him that," shrugged Will.

"But shouldn't it be obvious by now?" she asked.

"Yeah, but Biggie wants to run the tests anyways, just to be sure," he sighed.

"Here, I'll come with you, in case you need someone to hold him down or something," she sighed and followed him.

"That's probably a good idea," he smirked.

They got to the lab with relative ease.

"He's in there, you just can't see him," sighed Kate.

They walked up to the window, their faces dropping as they approached.

"No, I'm pretty sure he's not in there," said Kate.

"How the hell did he?" she looked up at the Nubbin sized hold in the vent. "That sneaky bastard conned me!"

Will groaned.

"Even when he's a Nubbin he's still got a hidden agenda! You can't trust him!" cried Will.

"Where's he going?" cried Kate.

"I don't know, but he better not be off to free his clan members," groaned Will, pushing the emergency button on the wall. "He got out!"

Will cried over the intercom.

He picked up the wall phone and called Henry.

"Yah, you heard me…the furry little cretin busted himself out of isolation…I don't know how he did it, just lock down the Nubbin areas…which won't help much because he's in the vents! Nevermind! Just head down there and shoot anything fluffy and squeaky that you see, ok!"

He hung up the phone.

"I swear I'm going to shoot him myself!" he cursed, growling at Kate.

"Like that will do any good, he'll just heel and bite you," groaned Kate.

"I know, but I really, really want to," whined Will.

"First, let's find him before we make plans to cause him harm," she sighed. "And before he causes trouble."

_**~~~~In the Vents~~~~**_

Nikola bounced through the vents, letting out a small squeak every few bounces. He felt like a dog's squeaky toy, but it really couldn't be helped.

He stopped, and sniffed again, his ear twitching.

He turned a corner and hopped a bit more before coming to another vent opening. He peered through it, recognizing the hall. With a small disgusted squeak he tentatively took a bite out of the metal, choking it down until there was a hole big enough for him to crawl through.

"EEEEEEEEK!" he screeched as he dropped to the hardwood floor.

He landed on his bottom and bounced slightly.

A vase fell of its perch and crashed to the floor beside him, making him squeak and jump in surprise.

He shook his head and kept going; he was very close to his destination.

He hopped along until he came to the doors of the infirmary. He was just about to enter into it when it swung open harshly carrying him with it. He squeaked slightly.

The Big Guy ran out of the infirmary with a loud growl, booking it down the hall.

Nikola peeked his head from behind the door, resenting being treated like a doorstop.

He moved into the infirmary, the door swinging shut behind him.

His big blue-grey eyes searched the huge room until they found what they were searching for.

At the back of the infirmary, lying still in the hospital bed was Helen. Why he felt compelled to come here to see her was beyond him, but he had to do it.

He hopped over to the bed. It was a mountain from his height, but luckily there was a chair sitting right next to it. He jumped up high enough to latch himself onto the seat with his teeth and flipped himself on to it, topside. From the he was at a close enough distance to hope over to the edge of Helen's bed.

She was incredibly pale and he whimpered softly seeing her. He had never meant to hurt her like this.

He bounced carefully over to her, nuzzling her with his head, to she if she would stir. When she didn't he pushed her arm over to make room for himself to snuggled down beside her. He squeaked sadly, resting in the crook of her arm, looking up at her face with a flash of hope.

Suddenly the infirmary doors swung open and Big Guy, Will and Kate barged in.

"We've got him!" cried Will.

Kate dropped her weapon, seeing the patch of fur lying next to Helen.

"Nope, we've got squat," she sighed.

Nikola squeaked at them, snuggling closer to Helen, to signify he didn't want to be taken away from her.

"Just when you think he's going to throw the whole place into an uproar, he goes a does something like this," muttered Will.

"He must've wanted to see her when I told him about her condition," sighed Kate.

Helen stirred slightly and Nikola chirped.

"Well, that's the first sign of movement we've had from her," Kate sighed in relief.

The walkie-talkie in Will's hand bleeped and Will answered it.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Uhh, we have a problem with our new intakes," said Henry over the device.

"What?" cried Will.

"You might want to get down here," he signed off and Will groaned.

"This day just never ends!" he cried.

"You guys go, I'll stay here and watch over these two," said Kate.

Big Guy and Will nodded leaving the infirmary quickly.

Kate looked over at Nikola and smirked.

"You're just full of surprises, aren't you?" she chuckled, taking a seat.

If she never saw a Nubbin again it would be too soon.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Will stared at the scene with disgust.

The Nubbin habitat was quite terrifying; it looked like a scene from Saw, or another one of those horrible gory movies that Kate and Big Guy made him sit through.

On one side of the enclosure huddled all of the normal Nubbins, cowering and shaking in fear at the five, almost intimidating looking Vampire Nubbins, as dubbed by Henry. Surrounding them were the carcasses of 3 Nubbins, or at least, what remained of them.

"They did what?" he asked incredulously.

"Well, it seems that the Vampire Nubbins drank the blood of those Nubbins…then proceeded to…eat what was left…" said Henry.

"That is beyond disturbing," muttered Will. He stared at the new Nubbins and one smiled innocently at him. Will wanted to hurl. "We have to put them in another enclosure."

"Working on it, and since they've already tried to electrocute the others, I'm assuming rubber walls and near frigid temperatures would suffice?" asked Henry.

"Can we stun them until then?" asked Will.

"Already tried that, seems they share their father's trait of electro-immunity, nearly fried my weapon in the process," shrugged Henry.

"At least, get them out of there before those poor things start dropping from heart attacks," groaned Will.

"I don't want to go near them!" cried Henry.

"Wear gloves," shrugged Will.

"You wear gloves, look at those teeth, those things could slice through steel!" whined Henry.

"Fine, I'll help, but you are cleaning up the dead Nubbins," said Will.

Henry groaned and agreed.

"I'll get the containment units," he sighed and left the room.

Will looked back at the new Nubbins who stared at him with big cheeky grins.

He let out a long groan.

"You are just like your father," he sighed, bringing his hands to rest on the side of the enclosure. Immediately a loud spark zapped his fingers and he sprung back. The Nubbins bounced and made a type of giggle sound at his plight. "Just like your father."

He held his now red hands as he glared at the smiley bunch.

Another reason why that man should never breed.

_**~~~~Infirmary~~~~**_

Nikola squeaked slightly as Helen shifted.

Kate couldn't help but snicker, earning her a look of disdain from the blue-eyed Nubbin.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly.

He snorted in derision and rested back against Helen.

Kate kept smiling.

"What are you going to do when she wakes up?" she teased.

He made some kind of noise, like he was trying to speak but he forgot that he couldn't speak words anymore.

Kate shook her head.

"I get it," she raised a hand to stop him.

He huffed.

"I'll get her some water," Kate stood up from her chair.

She moved across the room to a small sink and began filling a small paper cup.

Nikola turned his attention back to Helen, the pink was returning to her cheeks, and he could feel her energy increase. He rolled himself upright so he could look at her face. He managed to jump on top of her and carefully move up her chest so that he could look down on her face.

She sighed slightly.

He squeaked something to her, an attempt to call her name.

Helen's eyes slowly cracked open, her face just mere inches from his. He smiled slightly as she awoke.

She blinked then jumped slightly.

"Bloody hell!" she cried and smacked him hard enough to send him flying with a loud shriek as he bounced off some medical equipment and crashed on to the floor.

"Whoa, Doc!" Kate came running over.

"It was…right…what?" Helen sputtered; she was very disoriented.

"Oh yah, that was Tesla, cute isn't he?" smirked Kate.

"What?" Helen blinked.

"You might also feel five Nubbins lighter, we had to do some emergency surgery," she added.

"That was Nikola," gasped Helen.

"Yah, you've been out for a few hours,' shrugged Kate handing her the water.

She didn't accept it and instead pushed the sheets off her and gingerly stepped onto the floor heading over to where the Nubbin rocket had crash-landed.

Helen sifted through some spilt medical supplies and a knocked over IV stand but eventually found the dazed fluff ball amongst the debris.

"Nikola?" she picked him up. He was still very dizzy. "My god Nikola, is that you?"

He shook his head clear of its fog then glared at her and started squeaking angrily at her.

"It is you!" Helen exclaimed with a bright smile.

He continued to squeak madly at her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know," she giggled. "Why aren't you in the isolation room?"

"I think I can answer that, he was very worried for your safety so he broke out to come and see you," said Kate.

Helen looked back at Nikola with a teasing grin.

"Aww, really?" she teased.

He huffed and rolled his big blue eyes.

"That's the sweetest thing any Nubbin has ever done for me," Helen joked but pecked the top of his head. He immediately grinned slightly.

"What happened? Helen looked over to Kate.

"Well, it's a bit of a long story, what's the last thing you remember?"

_**~~~~Elsewhere~~~~**_

Will grunted as he dropped the last Nubbin in the full Vampire Nubbin-proof enclosure.

They sealed it tightly and let out a long sigh of relief.

"I hate those things," muttered Henry.

"Yah, and their teeth," Will dabbed at the cut on his face.

"They are really not friendly," Henry examined his own cuts.

"I vote we put Tesla in charge of them," said Will.

"Agreed," mumbled Henry.

Big Guy came in.

"Hey! Where'd you run off to? We could've used you in trying to cage up the wonder pack!" cried Will.

"Guuuh, I had something else to do," Big Guy shrugged.

"That excuse is starting to get really lame," growled Will, but stopped short when he heard a familiar clunk click clunk sound emanating behind Biggie. "The autotype?"

He looked at Big Guy funny.

"It started working about an hour ago," said Big Guy.

"No guesses on who is controlling it," smirked Henry.

"Bringing it up to the infirmary as we speak," nodded Big Guy.

"We'll come with you, polysporin isn't such a bad idea right now," sighed Will.

Henry nodded.

"Suit yourself," shrugged Biggie.

The three of them made their way up to the infirmary, happily surprised to see Helen fully awake and holding a very happy looking Nubbin in her lap.

Will rolled his eyes at the sight.

"Hey Doc, you're up," said Henry.

"Yes, and no worse for ware it seems," she sighed.

"And it seems you've made a new friend," teased Will, Nikola squeaked disdainfully and glared at him.

Helen looked down at him.

"Oh yes, well I just can't resist, he's positively adorable, I'm thinking of keeping him this way, I haven't had this much peace since he arrived," Helen joined in the teasin.

Nikola squeaked at her as well.

Big Guy ripped the message from the autotype and smirked.

"He says you all suck," he handed Helen the message.

"Well aren't you a clever Nubbin," she smiled down at him then over to the autotype.

"That's absolutely brilliant," she picked him up and headed over to the machine, smiling at it fondly.

"Thank you," it typed.

Helen lifted him up and pecked a kiss on his head then lowered him on to the cart next to the autotype.

Kate swore she could see him blush.

"Now, to fix this, me and Nikola came up with using electricity as some sort of reversing agent, he was working on modifying one of the stunners before we collapsed," Helen paced as she spoke her thoughts aloud.

"Yah, we found it, none of us could make head or tails of it," said Will.

The autotype started clicking away and Helen ripped off the message then rolled her eyes.

She lifted it up to them. On small piece of paper was the word GENIUS.

"Thank you, Nikola, nice to see your arrogance still intact," sighed Helen.

"Your welcome," he typed in response.

Even as a Nubbin he managed to find away to grind her gears.

"Now all we have to do is take Henry and Nikola down to the lab and finish off where we started.

"Impossible," messaged Nikola.

"Why not?" Helen glared at him.

"He's not me," the blue eyed creature made a shrugging gesture.

"You're not you at the moment, I think we'll suffice," she rolled her eyes.

The fluffy ball huffed.

"I guess time is not an issue?" teased Will.

Helen shook her head.

"No, it's quite nice, don't you think?" Helen gave Nikola a side-glance and he squeaked indignantly.

The rest of them nodded in agreement.

The autotype clanked again and Helen read the message, snorting with a laugh and then crinkled up the message.

"Language Nikola, you might offend someone," she poked his belly and his blue eyes glared at her.

Henry, I leave him in your capable hands, Nikola…be helpful," she said sternly.

"And you will get back in bed," ordered Big Guy.

Helen was about to protest but Big Guy growled.

"You just got out of surgery, do not make me restrain you," Big Guy stood up to her, utilizing his authority as temporary head doctor.

Helen heard the autotype start to clank again and she smacked Nikola before he could finish his thought. He squeaked as he flew off the cart and bounced off the cement floor.

"Fine, as the doctor orders," she relented and quickly moved back to her bed.

Henry went over and picked up Tesla.

"Come on, Vlad, let's get to work before the Doc uses you as a volleyball," he said placing him back on the cart and wheeling the cart out of the infirmary.

Nikola squeaked one last time before he was out of Helen's earshot.

"I'll get you some jello," offered Kate to Helen and Helen smiled in gratitude.

"I'm going to go order some separate cooling systems so this never happens again," said Will condescendingly, leaving before Helen could retort with a witty remark.

"I'll go bring you some tea and a book," teased Big Guy.

"My laptop would be preferable," she sighed.

"Yes, but not to me," Big Guy snickered and left as well, leaving Helen alone in the infirmary.

She let out a sigh and lifted up her garments to examine the scar along her abdomen. She always did hate playing patient.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Helen tapped her foot nervously, trying to keep her mind focused on the book in her hands. She heard Big Guy grumble beside her and gentle rest his hand on her foot to still it.

It wasn't long until it began tapping again.

"I'm sorry!" she finally cried, slamming the book down. "I can not do this! I can not just sit here and read when I can go and be some help to Nikola!"

Big Guy shrugged.

"Too bad," he returned to his own book.

"Yes, for you," she kicked off the covers and got up. "I'm a bloody doctor I know my limits, and I am far from reaching them."

"Magnus," Biggie grumbled.

"Don't give me that tone, you are not my father," she glared at him.

"If I were I would tell you to get back into bed young lady," he growled.

"I am older than you!" she cried indignantly.

"You are no use to anybody bleeding out all over the floor, guh!" he barked.

"I don't plan on it, I plan to sit, on a stool, very relaxed and calm, but helpful!" she fumed.

"You just gave birth to a litter of Nubbins, you shouldn't be doing much of anything, what if you react to the pheromones?" he looked at her sternly.

"I won't, Nikola won't release any, especially at the moment," she sighed.

"You mean, in your condition," Big Guy stated simply.

"Yes, fine, in my condition, alright, I am not 100%, but I am not crippled, so I win!" she crossed her arms.

"Helen," Big Guy warned.

"Don't say anything, I'm not listening," she huffed and headed towards the door. "If you wish to check up on me hourly I will be down in the lab with Henry and Nikola."

Big Guy snickered as she marched out of the infirmary.

He was surprised she let him hold her here for this long. He sat back down and continued to read.

_**~~~~Elsewhere~~~~**_

As Helen opened the door to the lab she heard a zap and a loud yelp.

"That was not supposed to happen!" cried Henry.

The autotype clanked with a response.

"Yes! I did everything you said! This is not my fault!"

Nikola scoffed.

"Don't use that tone with me, I know what it means! Maybe the big old genius brain got small when he squished into a Nubbin!" Henry shouted.

Nikola hissed.

"Boys!" Helen interrupted.

Nikola squeaked, his ears perking up.

"Doc, it's hopeless, this won't work, the stunner cannot produce the correct amount of charge without overloading, it's just impossible!" Henry shook his head.

"It would if he would follow my instructions," typed Nikola.

"I did! To the letter! Face it! It will never work! We have to find another way!" cried Henry.

"There must be something, maybe if we use something bigger, an EM Pulse, or a laser?" suggested Helen.

Nikola squeaked in a panic, not liking the sound of being lasered to death.

"If we're even right at all about the electricity, whose to say it will even work, now if we could somehow modify the devamper to strip all the Nubbin DNA, or revert Nikola back his original genetic state…"

Helen gasped, the idea quickly finding roots in her mind.

Nikola's ears perked up as well.

"Oh no, I know those looks, you're taking what I just said seriously right?" The two nodded at him. "No, no! Maybe if Nikola could do it but me, no! I'll mess it up!"

"Henry, we have to try, Nikola will give you step by step instructions, I will weigh in, with the three of us we can do it," said Helen encouragingly.

"Doc, it's not just instructions and a good supervisor, I have no heads or tails of anything in that device, it's like a magic trick but the magician is locked with all his secrets in a box, and only he can finish it…and yes I know I just compared Tesla to a magician but it's true, alright, he has a way with these things that I haven't even got a handle on. Are you happy now! I said it!" Henry glared at the smirking Nubbin.

"Nikola may be good at it, but you are as well, if anyone but Nikola could figure it out, it's you Henry," Helen said encouragingly, flashing Nikola a threatening glare if he even thought of saying otherwise.

Henry turned to Nikola.

"I need to hear it from him, Doc," Henry leaned in front of Nikola, searching the blue-grey eyes for the answer he needed. "Do you think I can do this, Tesla?"

Nikola blinked and made a small sound.

The autotype clunked and Henry tore of the message.

"You have to," said Nikola, looking at Henry with honest eyes. "You're the only one who can."

Henry bit his lip and nodded.

"Fine, I'll try, but only because that machine is starting to get on my nerves," sighed Henry.

Helen chuckled.

Nikola squeaked and attempted to hit Henry's arm with his head, but he missed and screeched as he toppled off the table. Luckily Helen caught him before he landed, face first, on the hard concrete.

"Oh Nikola," She sighed, the laughter sing-songing through her voice.

He squeaked in protest and she brought a hand up to his had and patted it to calm him down.

"He's just kidding," she smiled, lifting him back to the table.

He hopped on to the cool surface and squeaked one last time, making a face at Henry before making a gesture akin to crossing his arms…if he had arms.

Helen rolled her eyes at Nikola's stubbornness.

"Why don't we get started," said Helen, clapping her hands together to snap the two into focus.

"Nikola, where is your devamper?"

"In my lab."

"Excellent, Henry and I will go and fetch it. Nikola, stay here, and stay out of trouble," Helen glared at him sternly with the warning.

Nikola squeaked indignantly.

"Oh, I know that tone, one minute everything's fine the next me and my team have to renovate a lab you've blown up, I mean it! Sit, stay, and don't bite anything!" she looked at him fiercely and he huffed. "Good boy, come Henry."

Henry followed, trying hard not to snicker.

Nikola scowled and thought of sticking out his tongue, but decided against it.

He made small huff as he sat back on his haunches and groaned.

He'd always hated waiting.

_**~~~~Elsewhere~~~~**_

Kate entered into the habitat area where they were holding the new Nubbins, they were still thinking of a nickname for them. MiniTesla's was so far the winning option, next being Vampy Nubs.

Will stood across the room from the enclosure, watching the mischievous bunch with a keen eye.

"Having a staring contest with them?" she teased, breaking the silence.

"What? No, just watching them, trying to get a understanding of them I guess," he shrugged.

Kate stepped a little closer to the enclosure.

"Careful," said Will.

"Why?" Kate stepped back.

Will sighed and took of his shoe, tossing it at the window of the Nubbins habitat. Immediately it burst into electric flames, blue streaking across the windowpane and the shoe landed on the floor with a sizzling clunk.

"That's why," he said flatly.

"Whoa," muttered Kate.

"Yah, they think it's hilarious," Will rolled his eyes.

The bouncy creatures made a laughing sound, and smiled which looked insanely creepy with the rows of sharp teeth.

"That's a little freaky," said Kate.

"You're telling me," Will let out a long sigh.

"Hey, I was wondering, if we can turn Nikola back to being his normal human self, can't we do the same for these guys? I mean, they already seem to share traits with Nikola, so…"

"No, I thought about that, and I figure that to change Nikola back, as in any reverse metamorphosis, it would require a sample of original blood, and these guys were born this way, we'd have to use Nikola's DNA and that would end up with five little sharp-toothed Tesla clones…"

"Ohh, we don't want that," Kate shook her head.

"No, we don't, can you imagine 5 of them trying to hit on Magnus," joked Will.

"She'd shoot herself," laughed Kate.

"And Nikola," added Will.

"Heck, and them!"

"Yah, so for the sake of peace in the Sanctuary, the less Tesla we keep these guys the better…they're already bad enough," Will gestured to the blue-eyed creatures, staring at them innocently.

"So what have you learned about our new friends? asked Kate, changing the subject.

"Well, though they act like a pack, that one on the left acts like the definite leader, those three kind of act like his henchmen and the smallest one is the runt, and he just follows to be part of the action," said Will.

"Wow, you learned all that from watching them?" Kate looked at him incredulously.

"Sort of, Big Guy used that sleeping gas technique on them and it knocked them out cold, long enough for us to get some blood samples and to insert an identity chip in their bottoms so we know whose who. It's a new procedure we've recently chipped all our Nubbins so if we have a break out we know which ones are new intakes, we just scan them like groceries," Will smirked.

"Cool, so did we give them names?"

"Yep, the big one, his name is Edison, for cruel irony," Kate laughed knowing that would blow Nikola's top off. "Those two are female so we named them Mary and Shelley," Kate laughed again.

"Brilliant," she clapped her hands together in delight.

"That one, trying to chase his own ear, we call him Einstein, and the runt, well, that's Niko Jr."

"Yes," Kate laughed triumphantly. "Perfect!"

"I think those names are approvable," nodded Will.

"Please, let me tell him," Kate begged.

"We'll invite the whole gang and have a Butt-Scan party," joked Will.

"I can't wait to see the look on his face!"

Will let out a small chuckle.

"I hope Tesla can control these things, they even scare Big Guy," sighed Will.

"Well, like Tesla, they are wild and unpredictable, and normally don't like to be controlled, who knows, we may have to keep pumping sleeping gas into the room," shrugged.

"Well, the cold is doing absolutely squat, that's for sure," Will gestured to the thermometer, it was nearly arctic temperatures in there and the creatures were still bouncing around with excitement, but not so much libido. Will thought it interesting, not because he believed they shared the same vow of celibacy as their father claimed, but because they were all siblings, and as siblings held either no attraction to each other, or each produced the same pheromone and it didn't affect them. All-in-all, keeping them away from other Nubbins would be a good thing.

"Have you tried anything else?" asked Kate, pulling Will from his thoughts.

"What else is there to try?" shrugged Will.

"Heat, water, EM pulse, squeak toys, pick one!" cried Kate.

"Squeak toys?" Will looked at her funny.

"That's it!" Kate exclaimed. "I know what to do, I'll be right back."

She rushed out, leaving Will completely lost.

She returned about fifteen minutes later with the TV that she had placed in front of Nikola's isolation room.

She put it in front of the curious eyes of the five rambunctious Nubbins and flipped the switch.

"_Juan! I love you!"_

"_Then leave him, Marjorie! Why do you stay with him if what you say is true?" _

"_Because, I love him as well, oh I'm so torn!"_

"_Not to mention you are carrying my brother's child! Oh Marjorie!_

"_Oh Juan!"_

"_Oh Marjorie!"_

"_Oh kiss me you fool!"_

The Nubbins watched in utter fascination.

Kate stood back beside Will and smirked in triumph.

"Wow, that is complete garbage," winced Will.

"I know, but there is something in those little Nubbin hearts that just loves daytime soap operas," Kate grinned slightly.

"Like father like Nubbin litter," chuckled Will.

"Exactly," Kate put her hands on her hips. "Just make sure they don't accidentally flip to the home and garden network."

"Why?"

Suddenly they heard the program change and all five Nubbins simultaneously shrieked.

"That's why," Kate picked up the remote and changed the TV back and they calmed down. "I believe my work here is done."

Kate handed him the remote and Will rolled his eyes.

Just when he thought things couldn't get any stranger.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

"Ok, I think that's it!" cried Henry.

"Are you sure?" Nikola typed.

"Well, no, but I followed all your instructions, and I have a semi-good feeling about it," Henry shrugged.

"It's worth a shot," sighed Helen.

"Power Generation?" said Nikola.

"Oh right, can you use your magnet power?" asked Henry.

Nikola glared at him.

"Uhh, I don't think it works that way, Henry," said Helen.

"Oh great, all that work and we're back to square one! So genius, what's your next great idea that we can't execute?" cried Henry.

"Don't answer that Nikola," threatened Helen. "I'm sure we can think of something, Nikola managed to harness enough power to transform that trust fund brat back into a human, I'm sure we could do the same," Helen suggested.

Nikola rolled his eyes and made a huffed squeak.

"Don't be so negative, I know we can do it," Helen tried to sound positive.

Nikola scoffed disdainfully.

"How did you manage to do it the first time?" Helen leaned down in front of him, looking at him seriously.

"Won't work. Not enough power."

Helen groaned and rolled her eyes.

"Please put your cynicism on the shelf for one moment," she growled at him.

"It's been modified. The changes need to be countered with a boost 2.5% increase in power. Barely reached power the last time. Not enough."

Helen tossed the message away.

"You're not helping!" she exclaimed.

"I'm sorry Helen. That's the way it is."

Helen growled and resisted the urge to toss him across the room.

"Did I come at a bad time?" interrupted Kate from the doorway.

"No, Kate, come in," sighed Helen.

"How's the trio working out?" she asked, stepping further into the room.

Nikola made a pahhh sound and huffed.

"Wonderful," Helen said sardonically.

"Let me guess, you've come to a stand off?" Kate looked at the three of them.

"Not exactly, we've modified the de-vamper to the best of our abilities we just need to test it, but we've realized that without Nikola we have no way to power it, and his magnet powers are useless," sighed Helen.

"Why not use his furry little progeny, those buggers produce enough energy as it is," Kate muttered, meaning to be in jest, but Nikola squeaked with the idea.

"Of course," Helen's eyes widened.

"No, Doc, uh, I was kid-"

"It makes sense, those five generate electricity, just like Nikola, if we can somehow focus that energy to the device we can change Nikola back," Helen paced, running the idea through her head.

Nikola squeaked in agreement.

"Henry, can you construct a containment unit that can absorb and focus the electricity they generate, harmlessly of course," she looked at the young wolf as he ran it over in his mind.

"I don't know, it would have to be insulated with a focus conductor to draw the energy, to the device," Henry said.

"I don't need the specifics, I just need to know if you can do it," Helen huffed impatiently.

"It will take a few hours but yah, I believe I can, at least, I think I can," said Henry.

Helen nodded.

"Then get to it," she ordered kindly, and Henry nodded, quickly darting out of the room.

Kate followed after, hopefully to be some assistance.

Helen sighed and picked up Nikola.

"I guess your 'accident' was good for something," she teased, scratching the top of his head absentmindedly.

He murmured contently, quite liking the attention.

"I don't remember if I've thanked you yet, for coming to visit me, it's nice to know that beneath all that fur you still care for me," she lifted him up to look into his eyes. "You are a very gentlemanly Nubbin."

Nikola made a sound that was akin to 'aww shucks,' is Helen's mind.

She gently pecked his furry head and then cradled him in the nook of her arm.

"Enjoy it while you can, it's the closest you're ever going to get for awhile," she teased.

Nikola made a pah sound and snuggled down further.

Helen wasn't in much of a hurry, her abdomen ached slightly, and neither her nor Nikola were needed for a while. She walked out of the lab moving back to the hallway and into the elevator. She decided it couldn't hurt to get some work done, and Nikola couldn't be too much trouble under his watchful eye. If he caused trouble she could always put him in the enclosure with his 'kids'.

They reached her office shortly and Helen gently rested him on the sofa, the action elicited a sharp pain from her gut and she gently rested a hand on her abdomen.

Nikola looked at her with worried eyes.

"I'm fine, I just moved in the wrong way," she tried to still his panic.

Nikola squeaked disbelievingly and hoped on the couch, trying to get her to sit down beside him. Strangely enough, Helen got his meaning and sat down begrudgingly, knowing he wouldn't let her work otherwise.

She sat down carefully, pressing her back fully against the back of the sofa.

Nikola hopped on to her lap, resting gently against her abdomen, squeaking happily, she assumed for some lewd reason coming from the depraved regions of his deluded fantasies.

Without knowing it, the pain had ceased as her mind came up with the ideas that could possibly go through his little Nubbin brain. All reasons which would earn her the right to smack him off her.

Then it struck her how the pain was completely gone.

Nikola straightened up and turned to her and grinned at her. He squeaked at her. Then gently rolled against her and a wave of sensation flooded her, somewhere between pleasure and that drowsy feeling you get when you wake up after a long night of sleep. Her eyes drooped closed for a second and she let the sensations wash over and through until they stilled and she felt ten times lighter. She wondered if she'd fallen asleep, and exactly what Nikola had done to her but she felt nothing, no pain, she didn't even feel him on her lap. She cracked her eyes open and sure enough he looked at her with big blue eyes, a small smile on his Nubbin face.

"What was that?" she asked looking at him.

Nikola squeaked and he gestured to her abdomen.

Helen looked down and lifted up the edge of the infirmary scrubs she was wearing, exposing her bare stomach. The cut from the c-section was gone, scar and all, like it had never happened. Her fingers traced over the skin, not believing what her eyes were seeing.

"How did you?" she couldn't put voice to her thoughts. "How?"

Nikola shrugged and snickered at her lost expression.

He hopped off her lap, his work done.

Helen wondered if all Nubbins had this ability, or if Nikola had somehow developed the ability himself.

Helen watched him in awe; sometimes he amazed her.

He moved to the other end of the couch and on to the coffee table to an empty glass resting on it he gestured to it.

Helen laughed.

"Let me guess, you want payment for your good deed?" she asked, the old Nikola still very present despite his new package.

He nodded.

"Alright, give me one minute, and your only getting one, I don't need a drunk Nubbin on my hands," she sighed, standing up.

Nikola squeaked with happiness.

Helen shook her head. The way to Nikola's heart was through a bottle of Bordeaux, and a lap dance.

She snickered to herself as she pulled out a bottle from a hidden compartment in her office, some of her better vintages she didn't want Nikola to get his hands on without her say so.

She brought over the bottle and a tall glass, and for amusement a long swirly straw.

She filled the glass with the wine from the bottle and stuck the straw in it.

"This should make it easier, you know, since you don't have any hands," she teased and Nikola made a face at her.

Helen grinned, and showed him the label of the bottle.

He squeaked happily.

"Now, will you let me get to work?" she asked.

Nikola nodded.

"Thank you, we have two hours to kill, I'd rather be spending it putting my Sanctuary back in order," she moved over to her desk and sat down, no longer hindered by her injury.

Nikola reached up and grasped the straw in his teeth to drink from the glass.

Helen tried not to laugh at how adorable that was, and tried as hard as she could to focus on her work and not watch the fluffy creature try to drink wine with a straw.

Nikola managed to suck up enough to wet his palette and he sighed contentedly. Helen decided to make it a little easier and grabbed a stack of large books and brought them over for him to sit on so he was high enough to reach the straw with relative ease.

This made him a little happier.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

Henry, Will and Kate easily lured the five Nubbins into Henry's contraption, making sure to keep the TV screen with the on-running soap program directed at the small window for the litter to watch through. It kept them calm as they transferred them to the main lab where they had chosen to test the modified devamper.

Helen and Nikola were already there waiting for their arrival with the device.

As soon as they entered the room the Nubbins diverted their gaze from the TV to immediately look at Nikola and simultaneously squeak excitedly at him.

"I guess they know who daddy is," smirked Will.

Nikola squeaked in response, smiling at his Nubbin litter.

"Please let me tell him their names," begged Kate.

"Names? What names?" asked Helen, blinking in slight surprise.

"Well, this one here is Eddie, the two girls are Mary and Shelley…"

Nikola rolled his eyes.

"Wait, Eddie?" asked Helen, a small smirk playing at the corner of her mouth.

"It's short for Edison."

Nikola let out a particularly loud shriek at the name and started to squeak angrily at them; they laughed and high-fived each other in triumph.

"Wait Nikola, you haven't heard the rest. The floppy-eared one with the cross-eyed look is Einstein…" continued Kate.

"No, we'll not be calling him Einstein," protested Helen. "I knew Albert, that's not funny."

Henry and Will snickered slightly.

"I beg to differ, but hey you're the boss, but the best I've saved for last, the little one, the runt, peeking behind the others…that's Junior, Nikola Jr."

Nikola let out an indignant huff at the team.

Helen laughed.

"We can keep that name," she poked Nikola in the belly and he glared at her.

He squeaked what she could only imagine was some kind of insult and turned his back on them as a sign that he was not impressed by their whimsical pranks.

"Aww come on Nikola, they're just names," Helen teased, ruffling the fur on the top of his head.

He huffed and shifted away from her finger.

"We can change them later, they're just temporary nicknames," Helen bluffed, aside from Einstein, those names were going to stick.

He let out a short breath then turned back to them, still glaring. He squeaked at Helen and she smirked.

"I knew you could be civil, alright, let's set up for the first test," she picked Nikola up and put him in the small duct tape square in front of the device, while the rest hooked up the box of Nubbins to the adapter attached to the opposite end.

It was like a twisted version of Frankenstein.

Nikola stared anxiously at his old nemesis, he still hated himself for making it double-sided, why he thought that was a good idea at the time, he didn't know.

Once the device was all ready, Helen and the team hid behind a blast shield, which was doing nothing for Nikola's faith in the experiment.

"Are you ready Nikola?" asked Helen.

He squeaked nervously.

"Ok," she nodded to Henry who started the process. After a few moments of nothing happened, he started to type at the tablet in his hand nervously.

"Wasn't it supposed to do something?" asked Will.

"Yeah, it was, everything's working except…"

"The Nubbins," groaned Helen.

"They're not generating anything, they're just sitting there," mumbled Henry.

"Oh, great going Kate, you tamed them!" cried Will.

"Did not, I just introduced them to the fabulous world of daytime soap operas, that's hardly taming!" Kate defended.

"Nikola, the Nubbins aren't generating electricity, can you persuade them to do so?" asked Helen.

Nikola squeaked but made a nodding gesture then started to squeak to his Nubbin progeny, they squeaked in response, and they seemed to converse for what seem like a good five minutes until a humming noise filtered through the room.

"Wow, he actually got them to do it," muttered Henry.

"Nikola's always had a way with animals," shrugged Helen.

They watched as a familiar blue light shone from the center of the cylindrical device, Nikola hopped up to it carefully and looked at it for a few seconds before gently backing himself up against it.

He let out a loud shriek as he began to shake, then levitate off he ground, the device still attached.

"Oh my god, it's working!" cried Will.

Helen shielded her eyes as the room soon filled with a brilliant bright light and then faded, the machine dying down.

She couldn't see from where she was if Nikola was all right or not, she couldn't see him.

She moved past the blast shield and saw him sitting on the ground, human legs, arm, hair, his blue eyes blinking a bit dazed…and he was completely, stark naked.

Helen blushed and looked away.

"Kate," she muttered.

"Yes," Kate peeked her head from behind the shield.

"Give me your scarf," ordered Helen.

"Uh, ok,' she removed it and tossed it over to Helen who caught it and brought it over to the still dazed Nikola sitting on the floor.

Nikola let out a small squeak at seeing her.

"H-Helen!" he exclaimed, finding his voice.

"Nikola," she mumbled, tentatively wrapping the scarf around his waist. "How are you feeling?"

"Good, a little taller," he blinked.

"All finger and toes?" she asked.

He held up his hands and then looked down at his feet.

"Yep!" he smirked.

"Ears? Only two of them?" she watched as his hands went up to his head and patted the spots where his ears used to be.

"Yep!" he smiled widely.

"Brain, back to size?" she asked.

He brought his hand up to his head and felt around.

"Ohhh, that I can't tell you," he chuckled in a slightly deluded manner.

"Obviously it's still on a bender," Helen patted his shoulder. "Can you walk?"

He blinked again.

"I don't know…" he roughly pushed himself upright and he stumbled, wavering around like a leaning tower. "Yeah, I can stand…sort of…"

"But can you walk?" Helen repeated.

He took one step and stayed upright.

"I think so," he took another step and his legs buckled and he fell to the ground. "Nope."

Helen sighed leaning down.

"Helen…you look perrrrrrty…" he mumbled before passing out.

The rest of the team came out from behind the blast shield to see what had happened.

Kate grimaced.

"Aww, you owe me a new scarf," she groaned.

"I know, I just, needed something quick to cover him up," sighed Helen.

"How is he?" asked Will.

"Bit of a scramble-brain I'm afraid. Henry, get a stretcher, let's get him to the infirmary," she sighed.

"Right on it," he darted away.

Helen lifted up the knocked out Tesla and shifted him so his head was on her lap. She gently stroked his hair as they waited for the stretcher.

"Hey, at least it worked right," shrugged Kate.

"Yes, I think he'll be back to his normal self in no time," she smiled down at him. "I was beginning to miss that face."

Kate smirked.

"I don't know, he was terribly cute as a Nubbin," looked over at the pack. "I better get the TV, they can't miss another installment of Valentine's Hearts, must know if Marjorie St. Valentine will go through her engagement with Kenneth, or run off with the hunky pool boy," Kate rolled her eyes and Will and Helen just smiled.

"If it keeps them calm then make it your prerogative," nodded Helen.

"And by the way, you still owe me a new scarf," she said before darting away.

Helen rolled her eyes and chuckled.

Just another day in the office.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Nikola cracked his eyes open, and groaned as the intense, white lights of the infirmary bay blinded him. His brain felt foggy, and he wanted to roll over and return to whatever dream he had been having, but a sigh to his right distracted him from that course of action.

He lifted his head gently and peered over to the mass of brown curls spread out over his middle. He felt the weight, and a slight pressure from a hand entwined with his.

Nikola smirked; he was happy to see her.

With his free hand, he reached over and tucked away the long brown strands of hair to reveal the perfect sleeping face hidden beneath them.

He heard her moan and she shifted slightly before opening her eyes slowly.

"Morning, Helen," he said with a big playful grin.

"Mmm, oh yes," she brought a hand to her own face and rubbed her tired eyes.

Nikola grinned; she looked marvelously sexy in her disheveled and tousled state. He wished to see that look again, except maybe with a bit more exposed skin.

Helen blinked back into the waking world.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Well, I don't think I can run a marathon any time soon, and my head feels a bit like the inside of a drum, but other than that I'm fine," he said smiling at her with a cheeky grin. "Especially since you're here. I didn't think you cared."

Helen rolled her eyes.

"I was waiting for you to wake up, someone had to babysit you, I guess I must've fallen asleep, is all," she shrugged.

"Deny it all you want, I know you were worried about me," he lifted up their still entwined hands. "The evidence says it all."

Helen yanked her hand out of his.

"You must've grabbed it while you were sleeping," she said lamely and Nikola scoffed.

"Just admit it, Helen, I did the same for you, you wanted to repay the favor, our hearts long for each other," he teased.

"I think you've been watching too many of those soaps, you're beginning to grow unbearably cheesy," she rolled her eyes again.

Nikola snickered.

"How are my little ones?" he asked with a grin.

"Fine, watching the soap opera channel as we speak," Helen joked lightly.

"We are changing their names," he said seriously.

"Oh, I think Mary and Shelley are sweet names," said Helen.

"I will not have one of my Nubbin litter be called Edison! I'd rather name it Snookums," he growled.

"That can be arranged," Helen teased.

"We will not be naming it snookums!" he cried.

Helen laughed.

"You can't change little Junior's name, it's suits him so well," she continued to tease.

"Fine, Jr. can stay, but the others, no, they are my children not one of wolf boy's little friends…and they say I am bad at naming things," he scoffed and mumbled.

"Well, what to you want to call them?" Helen stood up from her chair and scooted onto the edge of the bed.

"Well, uh, instead of Edison, we call him Samuel…"

"Why Samuel?"

"I promised myself my first born would be named that…if I ever had a first born, close enough," shrugged Nikola.

"He's always been one of the few men you ever had respect for," Helen sighed.

"You just don't like him because he believed Shakespeare was a fraud, let it go, Helen," Nikola rolled his eyes.

Helen let out a huff.

"Fine, Samuel, what about the others?"

"The girls…hmmm…Matilda and Louisa…"

Helen laughed and shook her head.

"No, those are old lady names."

"I thought you didn't care, it's not like they're yours," Nikola grinned knowingly.

"They may have grown on me a bit, but I still get a say, as I am head of the Sanctuary, I like Mary and Shelley, it stays," she crossed her arms.

"I love it when you jut your jaw out with authority," he teased, sitting up.

His face was not far from hers but she made no motion to move off the edge of the bed.

"Ok, if you won't compromise on the girl's names, I get to name the other boy, he shall be named…Juan!" Nikola exclaimed.

"After the soap?" Helen cried incredulously.

"Yes, Juan is the misunderstood, but passionate lover of Marjorie St. Valentine, a woman who should follow her heart and kiss the man she loves," Nikola said with a mischievous look in his eye.

He leaned ever so slowly towards her, his hand gently resting against the small of her back.

"I don't think she does, I think she is in love with someone else," she said with a smirk.

"Who?" Nikola's eyes momentarily darted to her lips then back to her eyes.

"Hulio, Juan's twin brother; he's dangerous, mysterious, and offers her a life with boundless excitement," Helen brought her hand up to Nikola's cheek, gently caressing it. "She'd steal away with him in a heartbeat."

Nikola grinned.

"And who am I in this sweet metaphor?" he teased.

"Who do you think?" Helen leaned down and just lightly pressed her lips to his. "Kenneth."

Nikola deflated.

"Kenneth!" he cried.

Helen laughed.

"I'm kidding," she put her hands to his chest to still him. "You fluster so easily, it's really quite cute."

"Uggh, woman, you are such an evil temptress," he glared at her.

Helen batted her eyelashes, issuing a silent challenge to him. He accepted, crushing his lips to hers in a passionate kiss, even more so than the one they had shared in his isolation cell earlier. But then tender moment was broken by the sound of the door opening. The two pulled away sharply, Helen quickly moving off the bed, but an evident smile plastered on her face.

"Oh, Sleeping Beauty's finally up," smirked Big Guy, he brought the standard infirmary meal tray for the patient. "Thought he might be hungry when he awoke."

Helen smiled.

"He'll eat the jello, I am starved so I will gladly take his vegetables," Helen teased.

"As long as I'm in you're company you can eat whatever you want…except the jello, the jello is mine," Nikola joked as Big Guy set the tray down in front of him.

He handed Nikola a flower and snickered.

"From the children, they wanted you to get well soon," said Big Guy.

Nikola took the flower.

"Aww, I didn't think they cared," Nikola snickered.

"I think he means your children, not my team," Helen teased.

"Right…that's who I meant," Nikola visibly deflated a bit. "It's nice to know that someone cares."

Helen laughed at his fake hurt.

"Thank you, old friend," she smiled at the Big Guy.

Immediately she stole a carrot off of Nikola's plate.

"Hey!" Nikola cried, glaring at her.

"Are you going to eat them?" she teased.

"Well, no, but you could've asked!" Nikola pouted and snatched his jello before she could get her paws on it.

Big Guy snickered.

"I'll leave you two love birds two your date," he smirked and left the room.

Helen's smile instantly faltered.

"Wait, we're not-"

"See, even to him it's obvious," Nikola teased, a big grin splaying over his face. "Admit it, you kissed me back there because your basic primal urges yearn for me."

Helen rolled her eyes and she stole another carrot.

"Even now your mind races with the possibilities," Nikola continued to tease.

"Really? And what is the possibility of me shooting you again?" she looked at him.

"In the isolation room, when you told me of our impending bundles of joy, and we were yelling at each other, you wanted me to kiss you, and I obliged, at the time I thought it was pheromones, but then there was that instead with my ears…if we were right, that little experiment should've had us going at it like rabbits," he said, a certain leer in her eyes.

"What is your point?" she sighed.

"My point is, the whole sanctuary went banana's and we didn't, and I can only naturally assume it was because of your pregnancy, otherwise female Nubbins would be shooting out a new litter every five seconds…you genuinely wanted me to kiss you in that cell, and it had nothing to do with the furry balls of pheromones growing inside you," his smile twisted into a devious grin.

Helen looked at him, a little speechless.

"That…that is ridiculous," she huffed.

He let out a loud laugh.

"Ha! I was right!" he howled with laughter. "The great Helen Magnus wanted to kiss me!"

Helen crossed her arms.

"I still say it was hormones," she mumbled.

"Say what you want! You eyes tell the truth, you wanted to kiss me then and you still want to kiss me now!" he clapped his hands with joy.

"Not anymore," she teased, flashing him a glare.

He sat up, closer to her.

"We're alone now, you can do anything to me that your heart desires," he grinned, his eyes sparkling.

"Really? Hmm, where's my gun?" Helen joked.

"Oh come on, Helen, we've already conceived together, why not do it again for old times sakes," Nikola patted the mattress and gave her a come hither look. "I know the lack of memory from our first encounter is driving you crazy, lets make some new, permanent memories, shall we?"

Helen let out a long sigh and stood up, stepping closer to him.

"I would like to find out what I've missed," she said carefully.

Nikola opened his arms to her.

"I am willing to recreate the experience," he said, his eyes shining mischievously.

"But, after we've done that, what do we have to look forward to?" she teased, gently pushing the tray out of her way as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"We could always go through the motions, you know, dinner and a movie, holding hands; really exploring our compatibility as a couple…for the sake of the children of course, wouldn't want them to be raised in a broken home," Nikola smirked, gently grazing two fingers down her arm.

Helen shook her head and laughed.

"Of course not, that'd be downright indecent of us," she flitted her eye up to his.

"We could take a weekend trip up to your villa in France, just you, me, a bottle of wine, and some bedsheets," he sat up even more, leaning closer to her. "Or better yet, the villa in Rome, all that with a nostalgic sense of irony."

Helen laughed and ghosted a hand up his torso.

"Who'll babysit the children?" she asked innocently.

"The big hairy one that plays Doctor, he's perfectly capable of filling in for you here," he shuddered slightly as her nails dragged down his chest.

"What about family vacations?" Helen continued with the joke.

"We can take them all to Disneyland some other time," Nikola resisted the urge to lean over and kiss the peak of her shoulder.

"I don't know, I don't think my team will approve, they kind of see you as a bad influence," Helen giggled slightly.

"Then we'll just have to prove them wrong," he finally couldn't resist her tempting lips any longer and he leaned down. She turned her head at the perfect moment and his lips met hair.

"No, I think carrying your love litter was enough, guess you're on your own," she laughed moving a way and back to her chair.

"You are a cruel tease, you know that," he glared at her.

"What can I say? I just love the way you get all flustered when I lead you on," she leaned back in her chair in triumph.

"Well then," he swung his legs over the bed. "If I'm not going to get anything out of you I'm going to go find company elsewhere."

"Who?" Helen scoffed, watching him stand up and move around her.

"I know of a group of five that will be happy to see my presence," he started for the door.

"I'll come with you, I haven't gotten a good look at them myself," she stood up and followed him.

Nikola didn't say anything, just snickered and grinned at her.

"What?" she stopped and glared at him.

"Nothing, I just noticed that when you lie to me your cheeks turn slightly pink and you look to the right ever so slightly, it's kind of cute," he grinned even wider.

"That is ridiculous," Helen sighed.

"Hehe, you did it again," he pointed, giggling in delight.

Helen smacked him in the chest.

"Shut up," she growled. "You are such a child."

She pushed past him and into the hallway, he followed after her, the same cheeky grin plastered over his face.

They traveled in the same manner to the elevator and down to where the Vampire Nubbins were being held.

As soon as they reached the enclosure Nikola became instantly distracted by the sight of his litter peeking their big blue eyes through the glass. They squeaked happily when they saw him.

"Aww look at them!" Nikola ran up to the glass. "Do we make handsome Nubbins or what? They're so cute!"

Helen laughed at him.

"How do we know which one's what?" he turned to her and she handed him what looked like a high-powered grocery scanner.

"Just point and shoot," she said.

Nikola smirked and aimed it at the first one.

The name Edison popped up on the screen.

"Ooh, we're going to have to change that," Nikola frowned. "How could you let them name him that? That's like naming your child Satan!"

"They thought it was funny," she sighed.

"Well, it isn't, don't you worry Sammy, we'll change that," he cooed to the furry fluffball. He scanned the next one. "Oh, Mary, you know, I hate to admit it but it suits her. This one must be Shelley…yep…hmm, I guess those names can stay, they are kind of clever."

"They thought so," chuckled Helen.

Nikola scanned the next one.

"Einstein…I like it," Nikola shrugged.

"No, it's unacceptable, Albert was a friend of mine, I will not have his name be part of a cruel joke," huffed Helen, she crossed her arms.

"It's not a joke on him, if anything it's a joke on him, he seems to be the slow one…but cute all the same," Nikola smiled widely.

"I don't like it, if you can change Edison to Sammy, I get to change Einstein, fair's fair," she said adamantly.

"Fine, as long as you don't call him Thomas, Marconi, or Druitt I will be fine," Nikola looked at the smallest of the pack. "And this must be Junior! Aww look at him…he is definitely the most charming of the pack."

Nikola smirked, his eyes flitting over to Helen.

"What do you say mom?" he teased and she rolled her eyes.

"I say you're all a pack of trouble," she stepped up to him, her hands on her hips.

"That means she likes us," Nikola whispered over to the Nubbins and they made giggling sounds as they bounced lightly.

Helen watched them curiously.

"Do they understand us?" asked Helen, looking over at Nikola.

"Most definitely," he nodded.

"Wait, do you understand them?" her eyes widened.

"Somewhat, my Nubbin is so rusty, by the way Einstein would prefer to be called something that is more intelligent than he looks, he is actually the strategist, it's just the damn ear makes him look simple."

"You're kidding aren't you?" Helen looked at him incredulously.

"No, because Sammy over there preferred being called Eddie, and he is so grounded!" Nikola pointed at the Nubbin and the Nubbin huffed like a stubborn teenager.

"You have to be joking me," Helen rolled her eyes.

"We're a family now, Helen, families listen to each other," he smirked, the rest of the Nubbins nodded in agreement.

Helen laughed.

"Well aren't you just full of surprises," she smiled at him.

"As well as they would all like to apologize for making you sick, all of you, apologize to your mother, say 'Sorry Mom."

Simultaneously the whole pack let out a few squeak, Helen could swear she heard the words in them.

"Thank you, uh, my children," Helen looked over to Nikola, wide-eyed, and more than slightly amused.

"Don't we make just the cutest little rag-tag family ever?" Nikola smirked at her. Helen wanted to laugh at him right now; he was being unnecessarily cheesy yet oh so adorable with his new found kids and the fact that he could communicate so easily with all of them made it all the more perfect.

Despite her earlier feelings she couldn't help but be drawn to those big blues eyes that yearned for her acceptance of this group.

She reached out and grabbed his hand and squeezed it lightly.

"Yes, we do," she smiled at him.

The Nubbins made a cheering sound and bounced happily.

"I'm going to have to start buying season of that soap Valentine's Hearts now, aren't I?" she looked at all of them and they nodded.

"Most definitely," said Nikola.

"And I'm going to have to watch them with all of you aren't I?" again they nodded in agreement.

"We have to do things as a family," Nikola smirked.

"Alright, but only if their good and don't drive my staff crazy," she warned them and they nodded.

"They'll be little angels, won't you?" Nikola smiled at his progeny.

Helen laughed and nodded.

"Fine, I'll have Henry order us the first season," she sighed.

The Nubbins cheered.

Helen smiled at them.

"We should get on that," Helen looked over at Nikola.

"We?" he pointed at himself then at her. "Like in the both of us?"

"Yes," she said, not breaking eye contact.

"Aww, but we were having so much fun," he whined.

"We can come back later, but there is work to be done, so," she pointed to the door.

"Bye bye, Team Teslus," he waved goodbye to the Nubbins.

"Teslus?" she quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Yah, it's a witty combination of our names, they do it for celebrity couples, Tesla, Magnus, Teslus, cute no?" he smirked at her.

Helen shook her head.

"No," she headed towards the door.

"Well if you don't like that one I have others, Magla, Teslen, Hella, or my personal favorite, Magnola!" he smirked at her and she shook her head again.

"No."

"Aww you're no fun," he pouted.

They were outside in the hall and Helen turned to him.

"There's something I've been meaning to ask you," she stopped him.

"What is it?" Nikola said, looking at her.

"Earlier, in my office, when you were still…you know…and you healed me somehow…"

"Yah," Nikola said warily, unsure of where she was going with this.

"How did you do that?" she asked.

"A little magic and a strong desire for a good wine," he smirked.

"I'm serious, is it a Nubbin ability that we just don't know about, or was it just you?" she asked, looking at him sternly.

"It was me, I realized I could effect certain signals in the brain using a combination of the Nubbin pheromones and my electro-magnetic ability, and I focused it on the specific region of your abdomen, really all that happened was I sent I signal to your brain for a rapid release of white blood cells to the certain area, and then using my electric powers stimulated them into working faster…I just didn't want to see you in pain," he shrugged.

Helen smiled, not knowing if that was true or just a load of BS but she decided she didn't care. She grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pulled his lips to hers in a strong kiss, one hand sliding around to the back of his head to clutch the hair there. He grunted in surprise but kissed back willingly, his hands coming to her waist.

He reluctantly pulled back and sucked in a breath before grinning widely.

"Does this mean I can start planning that trip to Rome?" he asked teasingly.

"We'll see, first we might need to plan a short trip somewhere else," she dragged him to follow her, still clutching on his shirt. She pressed him against the wall forcibly and kissed him again. This time he wasted no time in kissing her back, wrapping his arms around her waist and letting them slide up her back. He soon became restless being pinned and pushed against her and the two moved against the opposite wall, her back making a thud as it bumped against it. Helen grunted and slid her hands into his hair, grazing one of the spots where his ears had been, how useful they would be right now.

She slid her nails across his scalp and he jerked slightly, becoming tense in his arms and letting out a particularly feral groan.

"Ooh, whoa…" he pulled back, sucking in a breath. "That spot's still a little sensitive."

Helen smirked, repeating the action and secretly loving the way he groaned and involuntarily pressed against her.

"Not as fun as the ears, but I can make do," she smirked and lightly pressed a kiss to his lips.

"You are evil Ms. Magnus," he hissed as she continued to massage the spot on his head with this hypersensitivity.

"That's Dr. Magnus to you," she smirked a devilish smirk of her own and released him from the erotic torture she was inflicting upon him and he rebounded and captured her lips with his own. The passion and heat had already risen to high levels and they hadn't even reached the elevator yet.

He pulled her further down the hallway, until they reached the elevator doors. She slammed him up against them and he let out a ragged chuckled as one of his hands lowered down to her buttocks and rested there lightly as they continued to kiss.

His other hand reached towards the wall and felt around for the button to activate the elevator.

Helen, growing impatient jumped into him, her legs coming up to around his waist and pressing against the doors. Nikola struggled with the added weight but soon managed to push himself to full height and wrap her legs around him, their lips never breaking through the process.

Helen snaked her hands back into his hair, back to those sensitive spots where his ears had been and had him grinding out moans against her lips in short time.

The support of the elevator doors gave way and Nikola lost his balance swinging the two of them into the carriage of the elevator. Helen landed on her back and Nikola landed on her, her legs still securely wrapped around his waist.

Nikola gasped and sucked in a breath, then exhaling it with a laugh.

"You're going to have to release me if you want this to go anywhere," he smirked, leaning down and kissing her chin.

"Do you say that to all the girls?" she teased.

"There's only you," he chuckled kissing her again.

She laughed and released his body from her tight grip.

He immediately stood up and headed to the control panel.

"Where to ma'am?" he pointed at all the bottoms. "Some place exotic, a little kinky, or old faithful?"

Helen laughed.

"Why don't you hit them all and see how patient you can be?" she teased.

"Old faithful it is," Nikola smirked, pressing the button to the residential level.

Helen stood up and sauntered over to him, pressing their hips together as he leaned against the wall.

He smirked.

"I should've gotten bitten years ago," he chuckled.

Helen laughed haughtily.

"If only you knew then what you know now," she teased, her fingers playing with the hem of his hospital scrubs.

"I know, I could've saved myself loads of trouble, all I had to do was impregnate you with a litter of Nubbins and then we could've been in Rome by now…making love under the stars, the best wine poured all over your body, and nothing but you and me and the night sky," Nikola teased.

Helen smirked resting her head against his shoulder.

"Sounds lovely," she smiled.

"Though I think we'll have to take the kids to Disneyland first," he chuckled. "Oh our life as selfless parents, no time for what we want to do."

"I think they can make an exception for one small weekend away," she kissed his neck softly.

"I can see it now, make love all day then we dress up in our evening best, five-star restaurant, tickets to the opera, a gondola ride, I'll be your gondolier, we'll float out to the middle of the Riviera and eat wine and cheese while I sing O' Solo Mio to you in the twilight."

Helen laughed.

"Will you wear the hat?"

"No."

"Awww," she pouted.

"Though, I met wear the tight pants and striped shirt if you'll wear the corset and the little umbrella," he teased.

"Fine, you don't have to wear the hat," she giggled and kissed him again.

Whatever retort he had on the tip of his tongue it was gone the moment she kissed him.

"Why don't we see how this night goes before we make plans for Italy," she whispered into his ear and he let out a breathy chuckle.

"I can live with that," he grinned.

The elevator doors dinged as they arrived to their destination.

"Good," she said, rather seductively, clutching his shirt and pulling him out of the elevator and to the hall, crushing their lips together again.

They missed all the breakable stuff this time and managed to seamlessly make it to her bedroom door without leaving a trail of evidence in their wake.

Nikola opened the door this time instead of ramming them through it, though he smirked when he saw the splinters on the doorframe.

"You owe me a new door, by the way," mumbled Helen against his skin.

"We'll see about that," he smirked cockily as he swung the door open and pulled her inside.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

Kate fiddled with her tablet as she rode the elevator.

She was going through her checklist of daily duties, making sure she had done all the important stuff before she resumed her duty of slacking off.

It had been the oddest last few days the Sanctuary has probably ever seen and everyone was eager for things to return to some sort of semblance of normal. Kate herself was looking forward to a few days of rest and relaxation, starting now.

She was headed off to her room to crank up the tunes, throw on her best outfit and drag both Will and Henry to go clubbing, Big Guy had given them a well-earned night off as long as they kept their phone on vibrate.

The elevator doors opened and Big Guy stepped inside.

"Hey Biggie," Kate waved. "How's the dynamic duo?"

She was of course referring to Helen and Nikola. The two of them together always caused a certain amount of trouble. Usually borderline cataclysmic, this time was no exception.

"Guh, I think they'll be fine," he shrugged.

"We just checked in on the Teslen Five," smirked Kate.

Big Guy snickered at the nickname.

"And how are they doing?" he asked,

"Surprisingly well, though they seem very cheerful," Kate shrugged.

"Hmmm, wonder why?" Big Guy mumbled.

"Maybe Marjorie St. Valentine finally ran away with Juan Carlos," Kate rolled her eyes.

Big Guy snickered again.

"Possibly," he sighed.

"Where are you headed?" asked Kate.

"Residential corridor," he held up his rag and squeegee.

"Ah, well, me too, the boys and I are going to take the opportunity of this calm in the storm to knock back a couple of drinks, dance with a few strangers, and cause a bar fight or two, I plan on looking hotter than those two combined," Kate grinned smugly.

"A very difficult endeavor," joked Biggie.

"Not until you see the outfit I've got lined up, it's going to kill them!" she said triumphantly.

Big Guy snickered.

The doors opened again and they continued the conversation out into the hall.

"So what do you think about the Doc and Tesla?" asked Kate.

"I like her, I don't like him," said Biggie flatly.

"No, I meant…nevermind," Kate rolled her eyes.

"What?"

"I just mean, you don't do the vertical tango with someone, Nubbin mind murk or not, without having an underlying attraction to them," she said.

"So you and Will…"

"That was different, I had a Nubbin pheromone overload, that is completely different can of explosives," she defended.

Big Guy, chuckled but was stopped short by an all to familiar sound emanating from Magnus's room.

"Guh," he muttered.

Kate stopped too, hearing the familiar cries herself.

"Oh no, not again," she groaned. "This is seriously like déjà vu."

She put a hand to her head. Goodbye night of clubbing.

"I'll go get Will, Henry, and the stunners," she turned to head back to the elevator.

Big Guy stopped her.

"Uhh no, I don't think we have to disrupt them this time," Biggie shook his head, giving her a knowing glance.

"Ohh," Kate snickered. "Tesla, you dawg."

Big Guy laughed and pushed her farther down the hall.

They had better things to do.

The End.

_**~~~~Author's Notes~~~~**_

Ok, a fun little ending, for those hopeless romantics out there, again not all out fluff but still all out fun.

Question for those who have read the majority of my fics: Which one has been your favorite so far? I would love to know so I can get some idea of what I can write for you next. What which one has been your favorite and why? It would be so helpful to me if I could get your feedback, you may send your reply by PM or just add it to the end of your review, which ever you feel the most comfortable doing. *Nikola cookies as a thank you for all who are kind enough to respond*

I hopefully will have another chappie for V&B up soon, but I'm moving so it might be awhile, like next week or something. Thank you to all who read Vampire Nubbins and comments, over 1oo reviews, you guys are awesome :) And thanks to all of you who help me and inspire to write more and more fics each day, you are such a help. I write for you guys because you guys are the best, seriously the best.


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